A Glimpse of Lace
by Gcgray
Summary: With the war against Voldemort finally over, Neville returns to Hogwarts for his eighth year, determined not to let anything distract him from his studies. But then she came along. Pansy Parkinson with her distracting smile and her even more distracting lace...just one glimpse is not enough and Neville finds himself wanting to see more, to know more of this other side of Pansy...
1. Something Wicked 1

It was something about the way her short skirt swished against her rounded bottom that always seemed to draw his eye, not that he tried to look. He knew it wasn't the gentlemanly thing to do, ogle girls, but Merlin! She didn't make it easy. The skirt was so much shorter than it should've been. He was surprised that McGonagall hadn't given her detention yet.

He drew his eyes away again. He consciously tried not to look, not only was it impolite but it also wasn't fair. He was going out with Hannah, so why he needed to ogle Pansy, of all people, he wasn't sure.

He kept his eyes turned as he watched her in his peripheral vision. He watched as she stood, her head turned to talk to a couple of the other Slytherin girls. She began to walk away, laughing before she paused by him to throw a retort back at them.

The smell of black cherries and violets filled his space, and he tried not to inhale as she turned. He glanced up at her as Pansy looked down at him. Their eyes lingered for a moment before Pansy smirked at him. Without a word, she walked off, her skirt swishing against the satin smokiness of her thighs. Was that the tops of her stockings he could see? Sweet mother of Merlin! He felt his neck burn as he looked back down at his book. Wanting to hide, he pretended to read, but his eyes skimmed over the words without reading them. The Slytherin girls giggled again as Neville rubbed his neck in a bid to get rid of the heat creeping up his face.

He decided that there was something wicked about the full curve of her mouth too, something that promised sinful delights. He closed his eyes as he tried to order his thoughts. He was dating Hannah. He wanted to be with Hannah! He didn't fancy Pansy at all. He did not want to do all manner of things with the Slytherin. He certainly didn't want to have lipstick stains in random places either.

He really tried to believe it, as his eyes continued to skim the same line.


	2. Black Lace and White Cotton Shirts 2

He loved the smell of Hannah's hair, like calendula and geraniums. He loved the sound of her laugh when he said something intentionally funny. He absolutely adored her smile, it lit up the room.

Neville smiled at her as she turned to smile at him. Her attention, momentarily drawn from the books in her lap. She kissed his cheek before looking down again. He sighed happily as he looked out across the courtyard.

The sun poured down in golden ribbons as it filtered through the tree. Others shared the space as they relaxed between lessons, stretched out and enjoying the last days of summer before autumn rolled in. Neville's wished he could remove his robes but was enjoying the feeling of Hannah pressed against his side.

A sharp bark of a laugh erupted from the other side of the courtyard catching his attention. His eyes found a small group of Slytherins basking in the sun like the snakes they were. Theo sat hunched over, his dark eyes creased in laughter while Blaise looked on with a small smirk on his face.

Neville's eyes spotted Pansy, and he felt his mouth suddenly dry up. Her black hair glinted blue in the sun as she lay outstretched on the grass. Her long, extended leg, crossed gracefully at the ankle. Once again a hint of stocking poked out from under her short skirt. But that wasn't the first thing to catch his eye.

Her bright white school shirt gaped as her bent elbows propped her up. Two tiny nubs fought against the tight cotton as her breasts squeezed for escape. He caught a glance of black lace from between the gaping buttons, and he swallowed.

He blushed furiously as they met eyes again. She shifted and popped the top button of her shirt, highlighting the soft curve of her small breasts. She kept eye contact with him as she flipped her hair back then, with languid grace, she closed her eyes and extended her neck to face the sun.

The exposed throat and the sensual curve of her parted lips looked so sinful and seductive that Neville forced himself to look away. He pressed his face into Hannah's hair and closed his eyes before taking a deep breath. He felt so conflicted as his wants warred within him

He adored Hannah. They had so many things in common. They finished each other's sentences but as much as he loved her as a person, and as much as he hated himself for thinking it; he felt bored.

He kissed her head before she could notice anything was amiss. He felt that before the war, had he gathered the courage to ask her out, he would have gone on to marry her and live happily ever after. But so many things had changed. He wasn't the same person he was before, and he never would be again.

In the gaps between the love and respect he held for her, he felt a yearning for something less vanilla, something more dangerous. His eyes darted back to the Slytherin princess and he grit his teeth with want. Dark thoughts flooded his mind of what he wanted to do. He wanted to mark that pale neck as he ran his hands over those nubs.

He wondered what noises she would make-No! This was cheating and wrong. He stood up and was thankful for his robes, knowing that his want would be noticeable without them. Hannah looked up at him, her brown eyes warm and curious. He felt dirty and wrong.

"You alright, Nev?" she asked, placing her finger in the book before letting it close.

Neville nodded nervously "Yeah, I'm getting too hot out here. I've also got to finish my transfiguration essay."

Hannah went to follow, but Neville held up his hands. He needed some time alone.

"It's alright. I want to grab a shower. I'll see you at lunch?" He asked. She smiled and nodded, going back to her book.

"See you later" he tried to smile back as he threw his bag into his shoulder. He turned and walked away, passing the Slytherins as he went.

"Need help finding your toad, Longbottom?" Pansy asked smoothly. Neville didn't reply as he tried to abstain from glancing down the long 'V' of her shirt. Translucent lace met his eyes before he rushed on, determined not to look again.

Not again, he shouldn't do it again. He couldn't do it again. The throbbing need under his robes promised otherwise.


	3. Lipstick Smudges in the Dark

He shuddered as pleasure flooded his veins and heat surrounded his throbbing cock. He didn't question it when he felt a tongue swirl around the head. He bucked against the bed as the heat surrounded him. Images of dark red lipstick pressing against the base of his length filled his mind as he tried to gain friction. None was forthcoming, and he grunted in frustration.

The mouth sucked and continued to tease him into insanity. He felt his heart and breath speed up as the pleasure began to build. He tried to push his hands into the dark hair, but his hands met empty air. He gasped as a final swish of tongue pushed him over the point of no return. He opened his eyes and panicked as the orgasm wracked his waking body.

Pleasure overwhelmed him as he lay quivering, tangled in his bed covers. He blinked against dawn light blinking through his curtains as he grimaced in embarrassment. Neville grunted as he reached for his wand and quietly cast a cleansing charm on his boxers shorts. Once clean, he fell back into the bed and stared at the virtually pitch ceiling as he lay in the afterglow. For the third time in a week he'd dreamt the same dream, each time it resulted in him coming in his boxers.

The thought of her wine coloured lipstick smudged against the glossy skin of his cock made it twitch in appreciation as he bit his lip against the image. He rolled over and contemplated going back to sleep. He decided against it. It was the weekend, and that meant he could go and collect wild plants for his thesis. And he might actually get some time alone to himself.

He silently pushed the curtains to the side as he stepped out onto the stone missed the warm wooden floor of the Gryffindor tower, but he understood that those dorms were now needed for the new first years. The sounds of snores filled the air as he tried to make out the beds in the dark.

As the first-ever eighth year at Hogwarts, they had been integrated into one large house. And with one house came one large dorm for them all to share. The dorm itself was doughnut-shaped with the stairwell in the centre.

When Hogwarts had been rebuilt and repaired, a tower had been erected and named Lumos tower in honour of those fallen to the dark lord.

The dorms took up the uppermost three floors. Girls had the run of the top level, the common room-the bottom-most, and then sandwiched between the two, was the boy's dorm. House points were now irrelevant as house identity had been removed. Their uniforms were now only black and white with a thin, mauve thread running through it.

Neville crept out when he heard a sharp gasp. He froze and turned to find the noise coming from Terry Boot's bed. Most of them now suffered from nightmares, whether they had fought in the war or not. Neville waited for Terry to quieten again before he proceeded to get dressed. He grabbed his herbology things and pushed out into the brightly lit stairwell. He squinted at the lights as he began the climb down the stairs.

He stretched and groaned as he met the common room lights. His muscles beginning to cramp after his dream. He grabbed his coat and started down when he heard a voice behind him.

"Morning, Nev," he groaned inwardly and tried to hide his disappointment as he turned.

"Morning, Han. Sleep well?"

She smiled, and his irritation eased a bit.

"Yeah, not too bad. The wind howled quite a bit last night, sounded like the shutters were going to come right off the windows. Then the rain changed direction, and we were sure that if the windows hadn't been magical, then they would have smashed. Kept quiet a few of us up last night. It really did howl and groan! Did you hear it? Then again, the boy's dorm is a bit lower, isn't it? Probably didn't hit you as fiercely. You look tired, did it keep you up?"

His irritation was back as was his guilt as he waited for her to finish. He nodded as his eyes skimmer her pale hair and thin pink lips and knew with certainty that it hadn't been her lips that he'd been dreaming of.

"Nah, we were fine." He said simply as he turned to go.

"Where are you going?" She asked as she stood from her chair, her long pale nightie rubbing her ankles.

"I need to collect some things for my herbology thesis and thought I'd go now." He cringed inwardly as he knew what her reply would be.

"You should have let me know, you never give me time to get ready. Silly sausage! Let me go get dressed."

"You don't need to come," he offered, but he already knew it was too late. His plans at having some time alone were gone.

"Yes, I do. I'll be right back." She kissed his cheek as she brushed past him towards the stairs. Now alone in the common room, he groaned as he threw himself onto one of the tattered old chairs.

The longer they dated, the less time he had to himself. She wanted to be attached to him wherever he went, which in turn meant he had to follow her to do her activities too. He rubbed his face as he contemplated just running out without her. It's not like she would enjoy herself.

He heard someone yawn and glanced at the stairwell. He groaned inwardly but not in irritation. Pansy gracefully descended, her long pale legs contrasting with the dark grey silk robe she wore. She hadn't tied it tightly meaning that Neville could see the taught lace triangles of material. The transparent material did nothing to hide the dark circles of delicate skin beneath. The shorts were a similar story; however, at least they were at least semi-opaque where it counted.

He listened as her feet padded against the stone floor and wondered why she was up. She walked right passed him, and he realised she was heading for the coffee pot. She was out of view now, but he could hear the swish of material and the trickle of liquid before she passed him again and sat down.

He felt guilty as he watched her gracefully cross her legs and sip at the coffee as she stared outside. He cleared his throat.

She turned, surprise etched into her features. Her plump, pink mouth parted and her dark eyebrows raised in perfect arches. Her ordinarily perfect hair stuck out in all directions. She looked like a centre-page spread in an adult magazine.

Her surprise was short-lived as she smirked before taking another sip of coffee.

"Good morning, Longbottom," She said calmly.

"Morning, Parkinson." He replied, relieved that his voice didn't quiver.

"Sleep well?" She asked, and for a split moment, he wondered if she knew.

"Very well," he replied, "and you?" He asked wondering if she would give the game away.

"Better than expected." She smirked before sipping her coffee again. "Are you waiting for Hannah?" She asked, leaning forward to put her coffee cup down allowing her robe to gape. He swallowed audibly.

"Erm, yeah. She wanted to come with me to collect plants," she nodded.

"You'll be waiting a while, she was just jumping in the showers when I came down," she raised her arms above her head and stretched, again the triangles of transparent lace appeared. He saw the two nubs pressing against the material and swallowed again. He wondered whether she would taste as good as she looked. She moaned into the stretch, and the sound vibrated straight to his cock. She sounded like melted dark chocolate and fire whiskey and everything decadent in the world.

He sat up, hoping to readjust himself without Pansy noticing. He had already started to grow hard at the mere sight of her. He grit his teeth together as he tried to remember what they had been talking about. Hannah, they had been discussing Hannah.

"I'll wait and hope she's not too long," Neville replied as he tore his eyes away. Pansy leant forward and retrieved her cup before sipping it and throwing her legs over the arm of the sofa. His eyes glanced to hers and she smiled as if she knew the exact reaction she had on him. After a long stretch of silence, Neville decided that perhaps coffee was a good idea after all.

He stood and poured himself a cup as he felt her eyes on him. He looked out of the window and watched as the clouds rolled closer. It was going to rain soon and he was going to get caught in it if Hannah didn't hurry. A noise caught his attention as he turned. Pansy stood up languidly, like a cat as she left her cup on the coffee table. She prowled forward stopping right in front of him. He had never realised how tall she was before but now as he looked down a saw her lips he knew that she was the perfect height for him to kiss. She looked up allowing him a full sight of her chest and midriff.

"If I were you, I'd go out and come back. It's important to let a partner breathe in a relationship. Too much time together stifles the flame." Neville looked up into those smokey grey eye and felt so spellbound, he wondered if she hadn't put something in the food. He'd never noted the fine dusting of freckles across the bridge of her nose before

"But then again, if you were mine, I wouldn't want to leave you alone either." She shrugged with a tilt of her head as her eyes raked over his chest and lower. "Oh well, I'd better get dressed, it would be terrible if any of the boys saw me in my nightclothes," she winked and smirked before turning to leave.

He watched as she stalked away and felt the blood leave his face in search of lower places. Sweet mother of Merlin she was certainly brazen and knew exactly what buttons to press. He tried to think calm thoughts but knew that he'd better get used to this sensation in his trousers as something told him she was going to make him suffer exquisitely as the months progressed.


	4. Walking Boots and Bad Influences

It was over an hour before they were finally outside and as predicted, the weather had moved in filling the air with a fine drizzle. Neville had taken this into account, wearing his walking boots and waterproofs. Hannah, on the other hand, hadn't.

"Are we going to be out here long, Nev?" She asked as she held her wand up to cast the umbrella charm. She held herself tightly to keep the cold out as she looked around in distaste.

"I was going to keep going until lunchtime. I need to find some Bulgerwort and Pipeweed to compare for my essay."

"Those aren't hard to find are they?" She asked as she trailed behind him.

"They're not the easiest. You can go back in, you didn't need to come with me. I don't want you catching a cold."

"No, it's ok. I wanted to talk to you about some things anyway, and we never seem to have any alone time any more." He almost stopped walking and looked at her. He felt like that's all they seemed to have these days.

He wondered whether she had noticed him eyeing Pansy, not that he'd been doing it on purpose. He wasn't that sort of man. He was loyal to the end.

"Oh?" Was all he could say as he carried on walking.

"Neville, please slow down. Your legs are longer than mine." She complained as she tried to keep up. He tried not to roll his eyes, but it was difficult.

"Sorry, Love." He responded as he stopped to wait for her.

"Anyway, I wanted to know what your plans were for Christmas?"

He raised his eyebrows at that, Christmas was four months off. He assumed that he would spend it at home and possibly see the Weasley's Harry and Hermione at the Burrow for a good portion of it too, he would have to check with Ginny as neither Harry nor Ron had returned. He hadn't really seen Hermione since term had started, he'd have to try and sought her out too.

His mind wandered to the summer spent with them as they attempted to rebuild the castle. There were still areas that hadn't been completed, but luckily they were parts of the castle that weren't vital to lessons.

"I'm not really sure, I guess I'll spend it with my family and see you and my friends too. I know that they're always asking us over to the Burrow." He smiled as he thought of the loud and busy red-heads. "I'd have to check though, it's still a way off yet. Why?"

"I was wondering whether you wanted to spend it with me and my family?"

"That sounds nice, which day?"

"Day?" She asked, looking confused. "I meant for all of it,"

"All of it? What about my friends and family? I don't get to see them during term time."

"Your grandmother would be welcome too, of course."

"But what about Ron and Harry and the others?"

"Well, I was thinking about that too." She said, and Neville knew that he was not going to like the next bit any more. "They've not been the best friends, or role models to you have they? Disappearing without you. Leaving you to the Carrows, teasing you. I just thought that someone needed to tell you that they weren't really your friends, not like me."

He took a deep breath as he tried to understand what she was suggesting.

"They never teased me, no more than we all teased each other." He argued, it sounded lame, but he knew it was true. "Harry has never said a bad word about me."

"But they left you to the Carrow's" She argued "They didn't offer for you to go with them," He couldn't argue with that, but he didn't mind, he thought of all the innocent first years that he had managed to protect by just being there.

"It was better that I stayed behind, They left Ginny as well. Being on the run wasn't safer than school, even with the Carrows."

"I just don't think they're good for you, Nev. They were always causing trouble and losing house points. I think it's a good thing that most of them didn't return this year."

Neville felt the sharp sting he always felt whenever he remembered that he was the only Gryffindor boy to have returned. He had wanted to finish his Newts so that he could at least say that he'd been able to achieve good grades. There was a job waiting for him in the Aurors when he left if he wanted it. Harry and Ron had both joined and were going through training, where Dean and Seamus were also working at the ministry trying to rebuild and reorganise things. Dean had been taken on as an architect, and Seamus as demolitions.

He missed his friends, but Terry from Ravenclaw was alright as was Wayne and Roger from Hufflepuff. He'd spoken to Theo a couple of times too, but the rest of the Slytherins kept to themselves. He still had Ginny, Luna and Hermione, but being girls, it just wasn't the same.

"I don't agree, Han. They're my friends," He turned to her to say more when he saw her fall.

He rushed to her side, the words he was about to say lost in his panic.

"Oh, Neville, It's my ankle." She whimpered as he touched it.

"Can you walk?" He asked as he tried to help her up.

"I'm not sure." She confessed as he hooked her arm around his shoulder. She stepped out and attempted to place her foot down but cried out before jerking her foot up again. "No, it hurts too much, can you heal it?"

He shook his head. His healing spells had always been disastrous.

"I'd rather not risk it, let's get you to the hospital wing."

"Oh, but what about your essay?"

"I'll come back out later." He sighed silently as he helped her slowly back to the castle.


	5. Priorities

He collapsed into the chair next to Hermione and winced as his back twinged. The walk back with Hannah had created aches all along his side where he stooped to carry her.

"You look awful, Nev!" Ginny said as she looked up from her homework.

"Yes, Neville, you look very soggy," Luna confirmed as she appeared at the table with a couple of hefty tomes.

"I just had to walk all the way back from the other side of the black lake because Hannah sprained her ankle."

"Oh no, is she alright?" Hermione asked without looking up from her parchment.

"She'll be fine, Madam Pomfrey gave her a sleeping draught and sent her back to the dorms to rest."

"Well, that's good then." Luna smiled before tilting her head. He watched as she narrowed her eyes thoughtfully "Is there more you need to tell us, Neville?"

He sighed heavily, earning a violent shush from Madam Pince. He held up his hand in apology and leant forward, placing his head in his hands.

He thought back to the conversation about his friends. Had he blown it out of proportion In his head? She was only looking out for him. And Hannah was right, they had never asked him whether he wanted to join them on the run. He opened his mouth to say something but stopped. It was done, there was no changing it, and everything had worked out alright in the end.

"It's nothing, don't worry about it, I just don't think I've been sleeping properly." He whispered as the others worked. "Mind if I stay here with you guys for a while?"

"Of course it is," Hermione smiled.

Neville went and picked some herbology books to read through, hoping that he would be able to get some work done despite his failed trek.

When he returned back to the table, the other girls were sharing glances.

"Everything alright?" he asked quietly. They shared a glance again and nodded together.

"Everythings fine, Neville. We just want you to know that if you need anything, we're here for you." He nodded as he looked at the three of them, the earnest concern there put him at ease.

"Thanks." He smiled as he opened his book and began to read.

The time seemed to fly by, but before long, it was lunchtime. Neville felt his stomach growl as Madam Pince glared at him. He smiled in appeasement as he stood up. "I'm going to go grab some lunch and carry on in the common room."

"Alright Nev, I've got to stay here, some of these books are from the restricted section so I can't remove them." Hermione frowned. "But I'll be back up to work in the common room later if you want to sit together?" Hermione offered.

"Sounds good." He turned to Ginny and Luna. "I'll see you guys tomorrow, alright?" They nodded as they offered sympathetic smiles.

"We still have the DA coins if you need us." Ginny reminded him, he nodded.

He headed in the direction of the great hall, he'd grab a sandwich and take something back for Hannah. Hopefully, they could talk about what she'd said earlier.

He grabbed some sandwiches of various flavours, some fruit and a couple of cakes. He thought that she'd enjoy a picnic in the common room. He was feeling slightly better by the time he reached the common room. The place looked deserted as he went to leave.

"There you are!" Neville turned around and smiled. Hannah was sat in one of the chairs with her foot up. His smiled wilted when he saw her face.

"Hey," He offered as he got closer. "What are you doing out of bed?" He asked, placing his bag down next to the opposite chair.

"I've been waiting for you." She said grumpily. "I didn't realise that you were going to dump me in the dorm and then abandon me." She huffed as she crossed her arms.

"I didn't abandon you, you were going to be asleep, so I went to the Library." He offered as he sat down.

"And I bet you've been hanging with Granger, Weasley and Loony after I specifically asked you not to."

He paused before pulling the food out of his bag. He was sure that she hadn't asked him anything of the sort.

"When did you ask me that?" He asked he didn't think he would forget something like that.

"Merlin, Neville! You don't listen to me any more. You said that wouldn't hang around with them any more because they're a bad influence."

"Is this the conversation we had before you sprained your ankle?" He asked as he racked his brain, trying to remember. "I don't remember you mentioning Hermione, Ginny and Luna."

"Do I need to spell it out for you, Nev? Hermione set a teacher on fire, Ginny broke into the headteacher's office and Loony see's things that aren't there. Which one of those do you think is a good influence?" Once again, he couldn't argue with her facts.

"Hermione is the best student in the school. Ginny is Quidditch team captain and gets great grades, and Luna is clever and intuitive. I'd rather you didn't call her loony."

There was a silence before the sniffles began. He looked up as she began to sob.

"I knew you would take their side, you always do." She shouted. He shook his head in disagreement.

"Han-"

"You didn't let me finish what I was saying!" She interrupted. "I'm supposed to be your girlfriend, not them."

"But they're my family-"

"But you're the only one who thinks that. They only see you as someone that hangs around. Whereas you are the centre of my world. You ask anyone, and they'll tell you the same. They're not your real friends!"

She started to cry in earnest now, and Neville didn't know what to do. He looked around, but if there were any students within hearing distance, they remained hidden. The room looked deserted.

He stepped closer and crouched as he tried to comfort her, She shook her head and stood before knocking him over.

"You need to sort out your priorities, Neville. Decide who is more important to you, them or me. Because I will not play second fiddle to a bunch of misfits and trouble-makers regardless of who they are." She sobbed again before getting to her feet. She wobbled on her sore ankle before hobbling towards the stairs.

He sat on the floor as he stared after where he had been. He wasn't sure what had happened. He shook his head as he got to his feet and sat on the chair again. He grabbed one of the sandwiches and nibbled it before realising that he wasn't hungry any more.

How had this day turned into such a mess? He rubbed his face as he tried to understand her thinking. He adored her, but she had become so possessive and controlling. He couldn't just dump his friends. He knew they weren't bad influences. He threw the sandwich down as he stared at the ceiling. What was he going to do? He didn't want to break up, did he? It was nice having someone that he could call his own. He pondered this as someone coughed, dragging him from his thoughts.


	6. Muted Violet

He looked around for the culprit, ready to give someone a piece of his mind.

"Hello?" He called.

He heard a creak of material and springs as a head popped u over a nearby chair. He felt his heart let out a loud thud as Pansy smiled at him. The smile took him off guard. It seemed to be missing its usual playful edge.

"Girl trouble, Longbottom?" she asked as she rested her chin on her arms.

"Something like that." He admitted as he tried to fight the blush in his cheeks. "Sorry if we disturbed you," he muttered as the fight went out of him.

Pansy smiled softly and looked at him

"Don't worry about it." She replied carefully before sinking back behind the chair.

He stood up and grabbed his things before moving towards her seat.

"What are you doing?" He asked again as he eyed the books on the table in front of her. Movement caught his eyes, and he noticed that she wasn't alone. Theo looked up from a weathers book and nodded to him. Neville nodded back awkwardly, his eyes darting between Pansy and Theo.

Pansy sat down, folding the muted violet summer dress beneath her legs before getting comfortable.

"Nothing, don't worry about it," Pansy smirked as she turned back to her books.

"She was trying not to laugh at Abbott's comment about Granger being a bad influence," Theo replied quietly as his attention turned back to his book. Pansy pouted as she shot him a glare.

"Traitor!" Theo glanced up and smirked before returning to his work. "But, yes, Ms Abbott should have been put into Slytherin! Her emotional manipulation is on point!" Pansy nodded thoughtfully before looking at her own books again.

Neville continued to stand, looking between Theo and Pansy as they looked at their books, scribbling notes occasionally.

"Are you waiting for the knight bus or something?" Theo asked as he glanced up again. Neville shook his head, confused.

"What do you mean?"

"He means 'sit down', you Pigmypuff!" Pansy chuckled as she shot him a glance.

"You don't mind?" Neville asked as he started to lower his things to the floor.

"Salazar! Longbottom. Just sit down, Merlin knows we could do with your help on our Herbology assignment." Theo said with a roll of his eyes. Neville paused for a moment more before sitting down on the chair next to them.

"Now you're hanging around with some real trouble makers," Pansy winked as she pushed some hair out of her face.

Neville felt a blush warm his throat as he caught Pansy's eyes. She smiled warmly as she rubbed her neck, a delicate silver chain glinting in the light. He stopped his eyes travelling lower as he started to pull his books out of his bag.

"Have you eaten lunch yet?" He asked suddenly, remembering the food he'd brought up.

Pansy and Theo looked at him before sharing a long glance. The familiar gesture made Neville wonder whether he was intruding.

"We haven't, why?" Theo answered cautiously.

"I brought some sandwiches up, intending to share them with Hannah, but she probably won't talk to me again until tomorrow now."

He pulled the food out of his bag and laid it out on the table as he avoided their books. Both Slytherin's leant forward and grabbed a sandwich before thanking Neville.

There was a moment of silence as Neville chewed o some grapes. Pansy tilted her head thoughtfully before opening her mouth.

"Does Abbott often ignore you?"

"Only when I've done something to annoy her."

"And that's how often?" Theo asked.

Neville felt the blush return as he ran his fingers through his hair. He wasn't sure why he was talking to candidly to them. It's not like they were friends.

"Not that often, although she wouldn't talk to me at all last week."

"What had you done?"

"I went to watch Ginny audition their new quidditch team." He said with a shrug.

Theo and Pansy looked at each other.

"What?" Neville asked.

"Nothing, Longbottom," Theo added with a sympathetic smile.

"Come on," Neville complained.

Pansy sighed as she closed her book and looked at him, Her eyes looked steely and purposeful as she crossed her legs. Something about the dress made her look soft and pretty instead of the harsher clothes she wore. He liked the new facet to her, it seemed far more approachable.

"I've got questions first," She said first as she looked at him.

"Okay?" he agreed curiously.

"Today, did she sprain her ankle before or after you fought?"

"We didn't fight" Neville responded.

"Ok, did you agree with her when she asked you to not see your friends any more?"

"No." He shook his head as he waited for Pansy to respond.

"So were you in agreement when she tripped?"

"No,"

"Interesting," she added. "So you disagreed with her and then she fell over?" She asked calmly resting her hands in her lap. He nodded.

"Why?"

"Did you stop fighting afterwards?" Theo asked, temporarily shutting his own books.

"Yeah, I guess so, we were busy trying to get back to the hospital wing,"

"Slytherin through and through," Theo offered before looking at Pansy.

"Please explain." He begged as he could feel a headache build

"Theo and I think that she used the trip as a distraction, so then when she decided to come back to the point, you may have forgotten what you agreed to or not." Pansy offered

"But I know I didn't agree to it."

"But knowing that she's hurt, does that make you hold back from arguing again?"

"I guess, a little,"

"There! You'll want to be careful of that one, I underestimated her."

"Why?"

"She wants to control you. If you let her get away with it, she'll to be a tough one to get rid of."

"No, she isn't like that," Neville argued.

"Ok, step one - get together, step two - get him away from his friends," she paused before glancing to Theo, counting with her fingers as she went.

Theo jumped in "Three - hog all of his time and attention." Pansy smiled and nodded like a proud parent,

"Four - stop him from arguing back by interrupting. And then finally there's five,"

"Five?" Neville asked

"Threats" Theo added in as he finished his sentence with a small flourish of his quill.

"Any of this sounding familiar?" Pansy asked kindly, "If I were you, I'd call her bluff. You're better off without her."

Neville shook his head. "She's not like that, and she doesn't manipulate me,"

"Neville, I know what tricks bullies use, because I've used them myself." Pansy placed her hand on his knee, and he felt the heat radiate through his trousers. She looked into his face but not into his eyes, and he saw regret there. "I wish I hadn't, but what's done is done."

"She's right, Longbottom. Cut ties, if anyone knows what it's like to be in manipulative relationships, it's the children of parents like ours." Theo added as he pointed at Pansy and himself.

Neville shook his head again.

"Look, you don't know Hannah like I do, so… let's just do our homework" Neville said finally as Pansy reluctantly pulled back her hand.

They sat in awkward yet companionable silence as they worked, asking questions and answering when needed. It wasn't until the door of the common room opened that Neville realised the time. The sky had started to darken outside the tower windows, the distant horizon turning an eerie purple and orange as the sun began its descent through the clouds.

Neville glanced at the door and noticed Hermione. He smiled and waved and watched as she approached. He watched as her eyes darted cautiously to the chairs either side but widened when she saw who he sat with.

"Do you mind if Hermione sits with us?" Neville asked after clearing his throat to get their attention.

Pansy and Theo glanced at Hermione before smirking to themselves.

"I'm sure three troubler makers are better than two," Theo replied as he stood to allow Hermione to take his seat.

"Oh, right, Thank you," Hermione muttered uncertainly as she frowned in confusion. He eyes turned to Neville, and he shrugged. She smiled slightly as she pulled the books out of her bag. "I thought you'd be with Hannah." She said lightly, but Neville spotted the tightness around her lips.

"Hannah and never had a bit of a misunderstanding." Pansy offered smoothly without looking up.

"Oh? Over what?" Hermione asked, her books now forgotten.

"Nothing," Neville said as he avoided her gaze. "She's just tired."

He heard the snort from Theo and Pansy in stereo as he looked up.

"Abbott got her knickers in a twist and stormed off," Pansy added. Neville looked at her and saw the disgust flash across her face before it returned to the smooth, attractive lines he was used to.

"Nev?" Hermione probed "What happened?"

"Nothing, I told you, she's just tired from the draught that Pomfrey gave her."

He wasn't sure why he didn't want to talk about it. It had certainly been playing on his mind constantly. He guessed it was because he didn't want to either hurt Hermione or enrage her when she found out what Hannah had said. Pansy and Theo's words spun around in his head as the words on his book faded into inconsequence. Was she really manipulating him?

He thought back to when they had first started seeing each other. The train had been quieter than usual as only half of the students had returned. The compartments were more jumbled too, the houses mingling more than before. The Slytherins still remained separated from the rest; regret, shame and fear radiating from them in equal measure. Their compartment was as silent as a library as haunted faces gazed emptily out of the window, or nose first into books.

The sound of footsteps drew his attention as his eyes raised to the stairway. The unsteady rhythm of it churned his stomach as his eyes darted between Hermione and Pansy. Hannah slowly limped down the stairs stopping for a moment as her eyes scanned the common room. As their eyes met, he saw the grim line of her lips as her eyes darted to the other women he was sitting with. His mind began to race as he tried to decide what was best to say as damage control. He felt sick with nerves as if he'd been caught cheating.

"Hi, Hannah." Hermione offered and a tentative smile.

"Hello, Hermione," she responded with coldly. She looked at Pansy and Theo who sat silently, the awkwardness of the situation blatant. Hannah didn't even address the former Slytherins as her eyes returned to Neville.

"Having fun, are we?" She asked, and it felt like he had been slapped.

"Han, We were doing homework."

"How long has it been?"

"What do you mean?" He asked as he stood up.

"How long has it been since we discussed this?" She limped closer, the fury in her eyes becoming more apparent, the closer she got.

"Since you went upstairs? About five hours." He offered "Are you feeling better?" He asked, hoping to distract her.

"So, five hours after I specifically ask you not to hang around with trouble makers, you go and disobey me, and you start associating with death eaters?" Neville winced as her volume rose.

"Han, please, keep your voice down," He pleaded as other students began to look over.

"You haven't listened to a word I've said, have you? You never listen, your ears are too clogged up with bloody soil to hear a damn word. You're about as useful and attentive as a dead snail. I don't know why I bother, you don't care about me, you never did, otherwise, you wouldn't spend all your times with other girls" She screamed

"That was uncalled for." Pansy cut in, Neville turned to find pansy's scowl pointed at Hannah. Hannah blinked but didn't acknowledge her.

"Han-" he started, but she cut him off.

"No, Longbottom. You obviously prefer the company of others, so please, continue." She waved a hand sarcastically to the others before she limped off towards the stairs down to the lower levels.

The common room was shrouded in shocked silence for a few moments as Hannah left the room. Neville felt everyone's eyes on him as he stood exposed and alone. He felt the heat rise up his neck as embarrassment stung his pride.

"Oh Neville," Hermione said as she stepped behind him, placing a hand on his shoulder. Neville heard someone snigger, and it broke the spell. He shrugged off Hermione's hand and turned to grab his books and bags. He avoided everyone's gaze, not feeling ready to face any emotion that he might see there. He shrugged his bag onto his shoulder and retreated back to his dorm where he could be alone and could collect himself.


	7. Greenhouses

Three days passed, and nothing he did made him feel any better. He kept his eyes turned down and tried to keep his mind attuned to his lessons. He studied on his bed away from the common room and the mocking glances and kept his distance from anyone that could get him into further trouble. He knew that it was self-inflicted isolation, but he hadn't felt as lonely since before starting Hogwarts sitting in his room at home, wishing for friends and missing his parents.

He sighed again as he tried to concentrate on his book. Tuesday had been an utterly abysmal day as had Monday and Sunday. Still, today felt more so as Ginny had had her first match against Hufflepuff. He had watched from his window, yearning to be out there and be a part of it. He wasn't sure who had won in the end but wasn't sure it mattered. If Gryffindor won, he'd be gutted to have missed it, if they lost, he'd only blame himself for missing it.

He tore his eyes from the window where they'd wandered against his will. The sky was starting to darken, and he thought it might be safe to venture out. Most people would be in the great hall eating. He might even be able to get into the greenhouses to get some coursework done. He closed his book and grabbed his jacket and bag before slipping out of the dorm.

He kept his head down as he rushed through the Common room, not waiting to see who was there. He didn't hear any commotion as he managed to make it into the next stairwell. He let go of the breath he was holding and continued to the greenhouses. The corridors were virtually deserted as he rushed to the nearest exit.

Once outside in the cooling air, he breathed another sigh of relief. Since that incident at the weekend, the stone walls seemed to bend in towards him, pressing down from all sides. He couldn't bear it. He could hear them in class, talking about it and whispering as they glanced his way.

He closed his eyes and shook his head. He needed to relax. He knew that he was probably blowing everything out of context, especially after last year under the Carrows. But something about the whole situation seemed to drain him, pulling his mind into dark and deep places that seemed almost impossible to climb out of.

He followed the castle walls at a slower pace now as the chances of bumping into anyone had dropped to virtually nothing. He let his hands trail against the stone and lichen as he let his feet lead the way. He looked up and knew that the night was going to be a beautiful one, perfect for the astrology students. He could see Orion's belt glittering above him as the warm, orange light disappeared behind the mountains. The moon rose like a silvery pearl against the darkening sky as he pulled out his wand and whispered Lumos, causing the end to erupt into light.

Before long he was in the first of the greenhouses. He could smell the rich, moist air as he took a deep breath. He let the smell of life and nature fill his lungs and instantly felt better. He flicked his wand and the lanterns within awoken, filling the space in amber light. He dropped his bag and removed his jacket before pulling out his books to work.

The rose of Jericho sat looking as shrivelled and knarled as it had earlier that afternoon regardless of the tests he had run on the plant. It was known to the muggles by the same name or as the resurrection plant, and it had been widely believed that the sap at its core could be used as an elixir for prolonged life. Neville leant over it for a moment before smiling. Only around plants did he feel genuinely at ease. The plants asked nothing, demanded nothing and expected nothing. There was a certain sense of relief in that simple relationship.

He opened his book when he heard a noise in the doorway. He jumped and pointed his wand, sending sparks at the intruder.

"For fuck's sake, Longbottom!" Pansy swore as she pulled her hand away, narrowly avoiding the vast amount of sparks. As the sparks landed, the dry straw started to glow and flame.

"Shit!" Neville said with feeling as he flooded the floor with a thin layer of water. Breathing out when the embers sizzled into nothing.

"Does that happen every time you're caught off guard?" Pansy asked as she pushed into the door, waving her hand around. Neville caught the motion and cringed.

"Are you hurt?" He asked as he avoided her eyes.

"Just a bit singed, I'll be fine, I'm a big girl," Pansy smirked as she looked at the plants.

"What are you doing here?" He asked, his heartbeat roaring in his ears.

"Isn't it obvious?" She asked with a quirk of her eyebrow. "I followed you." She smiled as she jumped up to sit on one of the tables.

"Why?" He asked, turning back to the plant. He could feel the table rock as she swung her legs. The motion distracted him as the leaves twitched and shivered.

"Why not?" She offered with a smile. "Maybe I just want to tease you? It's not like anyone else has been able to this week so far."

"Get it out of your system them, I've got work to do."

"Can I call you by your name?" She asked curiously.

He looked up, her tone piquing his interest. He frowned as he looked at her, his eyes focusing on her elbow.

"You do, anyway." He muttered sullenly before turning back.

"I meant your first name, I mean it's a damn sight easier to say than Longbottom." Neville felt a thrill rush through him as he tried to concentrate on the plant.

"I guess." He shrugged, hoping to come across as calm and nonchalant, but feeling slightly giddy inside.

"Neville," she said as if tasting it with her tongue. He glanced over and watched as she caught her bottom lip with her teeth as she pronounced the V. He watched as the plump pillow bounced back. He swallowed and looked away, and memories of his dream resurfaced. He closed his eyes as he tried to blot out the images. Not here, not now.

He'd be lying if he hadn't had thoughts about being with her in the greenhouses. He took a deep breath. He needed to get her out of there, if only for his own sanity.

"So, are you going to get on with it or is the suspense part of the torture?" He asked

"Depends" She smirked again and shrugged.

"On what?" He asked, turning fully to her now.

"On whether you're going to talk to me."

"Talk to you?" he frowned again. "why? What is there to talk about?"

"Come on, Neville. I know you're smarter than that." He looked at her and waited for her to elaborate. She sighed and gave up before starting to talk again. "I want to talk about what happened on Saturday."

"What about Saturday?"

"Don't be such a stubborn Gryffindor! It drives me crazy. Just be normal, level-headed Neville, just for a second."

"Normal Neville? How would you know what's normal for me?" She dismissed his comment with a wave of her hand before sighing and shaking her head. She looked up and met his gaze. Her face was devoid of the playfulness now, and he ventured to guess that he could see concern instead.

The frown remained on his face as he stared into her eyes. He wanted to turn away from her, to hide from the honesty that stared back.

"Just talk to me! Please. Talk at me! Pretend I'm my namesake and chat with me like one of your plants. I won't even chat back if that's what you want. Just talk about it. Let it out. Do something except mope and wallow." She sighed before looking down. "I know we've never been friends, and I," she paused for a second, before pushing on. "I would like us to be friends."

He felt like the world had turned topsy-turvy.

"What?" He couldn't seem to form words to comprehend what was happening.

She sighed and chuckled to herself with a shake of her head.

"Hermione told me that you wouldn't believe me." She went to stand up

"Hermione? She knows?"

"Of course she knows. Our beds are right next to each other." She looked down and pushed a strand of hair out of her face before glancing back. "After Saturday, we had a nice long conversation about everything. I think we've buried the hatchet."

Neville nodded dumbly as he tried to connect everything. He watched dumbfounded as she stood looking up at him. She chewed at her lip as she played with the hem of her sleeve. "Hermione is worried about you, as are Weasley and Lovegood. They don't want to upset you but facing you with it, but I know that you need to know." She shrugged and turned around.

"Wait." He almost shouted as his hand shot out. "Where are you going?"

"Well, if you're not going to talk to me, I was going to go and stargaze before going back to the common room."

"Stargaze? You don't take astrology." It was a statement, and he felt his cheeks flame as she looked at him, a shy smile coming to her lips.

"Very observant." She replied coyly "I don't, but I love the stars anyway." She turned to go.

"If you would like to talk, I'll be just outside." Neville nodded as she left the greenhouse. He stood staring at the ground as he tried to put everything in order. He glanced back at the plant and shook his head. He wasn't going to be able to concentrate, knowing that she was outside alone. He took a few calming breaths as he shook out his hands to dissipate the nervous energy that had electrified his blood. The idea of being alone with her sent a thrill up his spine and a hum in his bones that he couldn't stop.


	8. Stargazing

Neville shivered as he left the greenhouse, the night was cloudless and cold now that the sun had sunk firmly behind the mountains. His eyes the ground and spotted Pansy laying in the grass staring up at the star-speckled expanse. He stood silently as his eyes moved over her body, noting her clothes. The silken blouse clung to her curves, and once again, he could see the tiny pinpricks against the material where her nipples stood proud. He swallowed and shook his head, he honestly wished that he didn't notice such things. She deserved more respect than being only something that made his body react in such a way.

She heard his approach and pushed her self up on her elbows. She turned to him and smiled. The light of the moon bathing them in a bright grey light. It had occurred to him how pretty she looked when her spiteful and superior façade was gone. Her shiny eyes looking almost unearthly in the night.

"That was quick. I wasn't expecting you for a while yet."

He shrugged as he sat on the grass next to her.

"I couldn't concentrate." He said as he gazed up at the face on the moon.

"I know that feeling." She snorted as she looked back up at the sky.

"How come?" He asked as he hugged his legs to his chest.

She laughed, and it was a bitter sound. "Where would you like me to begin?"

"Good point." He nodded with a snort.

"I remember coming here a lot last year." She said quietly. "When it got too much inside."

"How come I never saw you?" Neville asked as he looked down and her, following the lines and curves of her face as she spoke.

She shrugged, making the blouse ride up. The small curve of her navel caught his eyes, and he groaned inwardly as he shut his eyes.

"I guess I didn't want to be found." She sighed as she lifted her arms and rested her head on her hands, exposing more midriff.

Neville nodded as he watched her. He didn't want to break the silence; to break the spell.

"Last year was a real headfuck." She said finally as she sighed into the night. "The only thing that kept me going was coming here to start at the stars." She paused as her eyes gazed up, Neville felt his breath catch as he could see galaxies reflected in her eyes. "I mean, how bad could life really be in comparison to the vastness of the universe. How much could such a little speck suffer in the grand scheme of things? It helped put things into perspective as well as scaring the shit out of me." She laughed and looked at him.

He looked back, not knowing what to say.

"Lie down with me, Neville." She asked, her voice barely above a whisper. He felt entranced as he lay down next to her, his shoulder touching hers as the cold grass tickled his neck. She rested her head against his shoulder as she pointed into the sky. She named a couple of constellations and stars as they lay there, but Neville couldn't focus as her warmth and smell overwhelmed his senses. The scent of cherries and violets smelling spicier and sharper in the fresh air.

"Looking into such beauty, almost any problem becomes so small in comparison; almost insignificant."

She turned her head to look at him, her lips brushing his shoulder as their eyes met. She looked away without moving her face. "I really would like it if we became friends."

"So would I." Neville found himself replying as he watched her lips. He longed to kiss those lips, to hear her breath sigh as he claimed her. He ached to feel her hands in his hair as she cried out. Her lips suddenly twitched into a beautiful smile.

"Tell me a story, something you've never told anyone."

He felt the pulse in his throat pound as he swallowed. "I don't have any stories." He said and smiled as he felt her head tilt to look at him.

"I don't believe you, you just want to be a man of mystery." She said as she poked him in the side. He flinched before laughing; the sensation, strange in his throat, tight like an unused muscle.

"That wasn't fair." He protested playfully.

"I know that we're in the same house now, however never forget, once a Slytherin, always a Slytherin."

"Is that so?" He asked. He felt his heart stuttered as he took a leap of faith. He reached over and tickled her exposed waist and was rewarded by a high pitched squeal.

"No, don't" she laughed as he stopped. "I'm so ticklish."

"You shouldn't have told me that." He replied with a grin as he tickled her waist again, watching as she writhed against his touch. Her chest bucking up from the ground, dragged his mind back to the thoughts he tried to suppress.

She laughed until she was breathless, her body now pressed even closer against his.

"Truce." She cried as she wiped the tears from her eyes. Neville chuckled and nodded

"Truce." He agreed as his eyes returned to the stars. The silence returned between them as they both lay breathing heavily.

Neville let his mind wander as he felt her warmth pressed against him. It felt so right being here like this. His mind shot back to Saturday, Hannah and the argument. He sighed as he tried to let the emotions go. He wasn't sure whether they were still together or whether they were now broken up. He wondered what she would say if she could see him now. The thought lodged in his head as he stared up into the pinpricks of light that shone down on him.

"You're thinking about what you're going to do, aren't you?" Pansy asked quietly.

Neville nodded slowly before looking down at her where she had cuddled up to him.

"What's the plan?" She asked calmly "Remember about the stars and about how small they make problems appear." She added.

"I don't know, is there anything to do? I sort of assumed she broke up with me." He muttered, feeling the keen sting again.

"That's a good assumption." Pansy nodded. She turned back to him and placed a hand on his chest. He almost stopped breathing as he looked at her.

"What she said. She's trying to get into your head." He nodded but didn't agree with her statement. He felt like he'd let her down; hurt her by not being present enough. "Don't nod if you don't agree." She said as she pushed herself up to look at him. "One thing that friends are supposed to do is be honest. If you don't agree, say so. We can disagree and still like each other." She said sternly. He nodded nervously.

"Sorry."

"And don't apologise unless you've done something wrong." She continued "If you haven't done anything wrong, don't apologise because that is just admitting liability." She said firmly.

He nodded again.

"Lessons to live by Neville. You would be unstoppable if you have some Slytherin cunning and ambition." She said as she propped her head upon her arm next to him. "But I'm willing to train you." She smirked with a wink.

He felt his stomach roll uncomfortably as he looked up into her face haloed by the moon. She was so very beautiful. He searched her face before dropping his eyes to his lips. She smiled as if she knew what he was thinking.

"Come on, we had better get back, it's getting cold." She pushed herself up, her blouse gaping letting Neville see that she wasn't wearing anything underneath. Once to her feet, she offered him her hand. He looked at it for a moment before taking it. He used it to steady himself as he pushed himself up off the floor. Once up, they were face to face, and some of the awkwardness had returned. He looked down at her and smiled as he pushed his hand through his hair.

She shivered as she began to turn.

"Wait." He called as he pushed back into the greenhouse. He grabbed his jacket and bag before rushing back to her. He draped the coat over her shoulders, and she cuddled into it.

"Thank you" She replied as she pulled it tight around herself.

"No problem."

The walked back to Lumos tower slowly as they talked about everything and nothing. Neville wasn't sure that he had ever been able to have such conversations with anyone, even his friends. He smiled as they arrived outside the boy's dorm.

"Well this is my stop," Neville said she he turned back to her. "Thank you for listening and for your advice."

"What are friends for?" She asked with a grin. As she tucked her hair behind her ear. She paused and began to take his jacket off to give back.

"It's ok, keep it for tonight." He said as he pulled it back up over her shoulders.

"Thanks." She replied as her cheeks coloured slightly. She bit her lip for a moment before speaking again. "Ignore the rumours, and if anyone gives you any trouble, either Hermione or I want to know about it.

"What a scary thought, you two working together." He shivered, causing Pansy to laugh.

"Scary but also a great deterrent." They both nodded and laughed.

"Well, goodnight" Pansy said as she waited for Neville to enter through their portrait hole.

"Good night, Pansy." He smiled and was rewarded by a gorgeous, sexy smile as she began to climb the stairs. He waited as she rose, secretly hoping to see a hint of lace beneath the skirt. When he saw the black frills, he shivered and muttered the passwords before pushing through the entrance hole.


	9. Tattered Mind

Her lips always featured in his dreams. Sometimes with her perfect white teeth leaving imprints in the cherry red cushion, other times they would be their natural shade and a small pink tongue would push out. He liked it most when she licked her lips, most of the lipstick left around his length in long burgundy smudges.

He awoke in stages as the early morning light glinted through his curtains. His cock woke up first, standing painfully to attention as he dreamt of bite marks and whispered moans. Next, he became conscious as he imagined leaving love bites on her perfect breasts. Sucking those delicate nipples between his teeth and gently grazing the sensitive flesh until she cried out.

He lay blinking into the semi-darkness as his mind raced. He wanted her so badly. He hadn't quite realised how much. It was as though his body, after being so close to her last night now craved her presence like a drug. He lay thinking of her exposed flesh and closed his eyes again. He had time before breakfast and he knew that his hardness wouldn't go away in a hurry.

He lay in the darkness and called her to mind, imagining her sat on the tables in the greenhouse again. Her skirt hitched up to just above her stockings. He slowly pushed his hand between his legs as he touched himself, letting his mind's eye rake over her body. Every curve and dips brought a quiet moan to his lips as he brought his hand down the length of his cock, touching the hair at the base.

He sighed as he focused on the sensation for a moment feeling the silky skin roll under his palm. His thoughts wondered how her painted nails would look around his erection. He sighed as he continued to fantasise.

He imagined running his hands up the satin until they met the ruffled lace at the top, before pushing his hands further until they disappeared under her skirt. Stroking the unseen lace beneath. He would claim her lips and devour her moans as his thumb moved over the lace of her crotch. He picked up the pace as he imagined pushing into the heat underneath. He wondered what noises she would make, whether she would beg him for more, to be faster.

He thrust into his hand, tightening his grip as he imagined her begging him for more, pleading with him to make her feel good. He began to shudder as he came hard into his hand; his thoughts clinging to her pleading moans.

He lay panting into the darkness as he tried to regain himself. Guilt racked his mind as clarity returned. He felt guilty then annoyed at feeling guilty. He wasn't in a relationship any more, and his thoughts weren't hurting anyone. He grabbed his wand and cast a cleaning charm before sitting up and pushing the sleep from his eyes. He pushed open the curtains and peaked out, the weather looked grim again, and he steeled himself for another long and irritating day.

He pushed the curtain open and swung his legs out to meet the floor. He needed a shower after that. He stretched and stood, feeling the stone underfoot. He went to his dresser to get his towel, but the sight that met his eyes stopped him in his tracks.

He stepped closer to find his clothes had been pulled out of the draws, strips of shredded material dangling over the darkened wood. He opened the draws fully seeing that every item of clothing was shredded beyond repair. He felt sick as his mind raced through options. He could try and fix things, but chances were he'd never be able to get all the pieces back together again. If he couldn't fix them, then he'd either have to walk around in his underwear or just stay in the dorm. He stepped back and sat back down on the side of his bed as he riffled through options, feeling the time ticking away before lessons like sand through an hourglass. He heard a curtain shift and looked up. Terry Boot yawned as he threw out his feet. He smiled at Neville before glancing over to the dresser.

Neville watched as his face fell at the site.

"Woah, Neville! What did you do?" He asked as he stood up and riffled through the shreds of material.

"I didn't do it." Neville pushed his fingers through his hair as he tried not to panic. His first thoughts were Hermione, perhaps she could fix them, but by asking her for help, he would have to tell her what happened, and he couldn't bear the thought. Maybe Ginny or Luna? Same problem. Pansy was out of the question. The idea of facing her with his clothes in such a state was… unthinkable.

What could he do? He felt the panic rising like acid in his throat. After so many years of being the clumsy one, the unlucky one. After the incident with the snake, he thought that maybe those days were behind him. He glanced at the slithers of material and realised it was far from over. His heart started to thud as if trying to escape out of his chest, he tried to swallow as he cuddled his head in his arms, knotting his fingers behind his head. He squeezed his eyes closed as he tried to centre himself. He took several deep breaths, but they caught in his throat. He felt like he was about to pass out as the world around him seemed to narrow down. Even the darkness behind his eyes seemed to get darker. His heart thundered in his ears as he tried to breathe. Maybe he would die, his heart giving out. He pinched the tears from his eyes as he started to panic about dying. He felt a hand on each knee as a voice tried to break through the darkness. He couldn't seem to get enough air as his heart stuttered.

"Neville," He blinked open and found someone in front of him. The dark hair confused him as his face didn't fully register. He closed his eyes again. "Neville, You're alright." He hiccups as another breath caught on the way down. He wasn't alright, he was about to die. His heart was about to give out. How could this voice know that he was okay? "You're alright, you're not having a heart attack."

He nodded. He was most definitely having a heart attack. Any minute now, his heart was going to fail.

"Neville Longbottom." He blinked again and looked into the face. It was Theo. "You are going to watch me breathe, and you are going to try and match. Understand? Blink once for no, twice for yes."

Neville blinked twice as he felt the sweat run down his back. He watched as Theo took a breath in. Neville tried to copy, but couldn't. Once again, Theo let out the breath smoothly and slowly. His own came out in a rush and caught as a breath tried to rush back in almost immediately. He coughed as his heart palpitated inside his ribs. A squeeze to his legs returned his attention to Theo.

"Come on, Longbottom, in." Theo breathed in and then slowly out again. Neville tried to copy; tries to forget his exploding heart and to forget the aching darkness inside his skull.

At first, it felt like he would never be able to match Theo's steady rhythm, but with each intake of breath, his heart slowed, and he was able to breath deeper. He released his fingers from his head and stretched them out, the numbness receding with each rub and bend.

He heard a commotion outside of their door and looked up, his head feeling light and airy. There seemed to be a crowd forming, but before anyone could say anything, Terry whipped his wand at the door slamming it closed.

It was now only the four of them within the room. Roger had woken up at some point as was sat silently on his bed, fully dressed.

"How long?" Neville asked weakly.

"About fifteen minutes," Terry answered quietly.

"Oh, Merlin." Neville rubbed his face before pulling at his hair again. "I'm so sorry, please don't say anything." He begged the idea that he had broken down in such a spectacular fashion made his cheeks blaze

"No one's going to say anything here" Theo assured him. He looked at Terry and Roger, who both shook their heads.

"Thank you." Neville cleared his throat, aware that he was sitting in just his boxers while everyone around him was now dressed. He looked at his dresser and took a deep breath, the panic threatening to rise again.

"Neville, Look at me for a moment," Theo asked from the floor in front of him. "We will sort out your clothes, don't worry, I'm sure they can be fixed. You go and have a shower and leave it to us. We've still got time before lessons." Theo's brown eyes were steady as he kept firm eye contact with Neville.

Neville looked at the others, and they all nodded. He nodded too, it seemed to be the correct response. Theo stood up and gave him room. He stood up and felt unsteady on his feet as he grabbed to the bedpost.

"You good?" Theo asked as he held up hands to catch him. Neville nodded.

"I'll be alright." He assured him as he slowly stepped away from the bed. He mentally pushed himself towards the door. The noise on the other side seemed to explode around him as he kept his eyes down.

"Hey look its Neville Shortcock. Looks like he's into men. Explains a lot," He heard the jibes but ignored them as he focused on the door to the bathroom. Once in the bathroom, he pressed his back to the door. It was deserted much to his relief. The light from the windows and the noise from the others seemed to trigger a sensory overload. He swallowed and took a deep breath before heading towards the showers. He turned the water on before stepping in and waited as the water went from warm to hot. He sank down to his knees before sitting under the spray; the water washing over his neck and shoulders.

It had been so long since he had suffered from panic attacks that he'd almost forgotten how they felt. He'd had a few during the war, but they had improved. He'd forgotten the crippling fear of death that came with the overwhelming terror of being out of control. He closed his eyes as he let the water wash away some of the residual achiness.

He felt the heat surround him, comforting him like a blanket. He forced his mind to remain blank but counting the titles on the floor. Once he counted them, he counted them again just in case the number had changed. It was only after he'd done this about five times that he seemed to fall back into his own body. He looked around and realised that he was still in his boxers. The weight of the waterlogged material against his skin was surprisingly comforting. He stood up and proceeded to scrub himself quickly before turning the water off. All sense of time had disappeared as he stood in front of the mirror.

Even through the steam in the air, he could see his bright pink skin where the hot water had pummelled against it. He knew that he would probably need some cream from madam Pomfrey later but right now, the tingling tightness helped focus is mind. He grabbed one of the towels from the shelves and wrapped it around his waist before stripping his boxers off. He hoped that everyone had gone to breakfast or lessons; just anywhere that wasn't outside of the bathroom door. He took a deep breath and steeled himself as he approached the door.

He pulled it open and was relieved when he couldn't hear anything. He stepped out and headed back to his bed.

"Shortcock." He heard a voice and turned. "Accio towel." He saw as Stephen Cornfoot, and Oliver Rivers stood in the entranceway to the boy's dorms from outside. Neville felt the towel whipped off him. He tried to grab it, but his reflexes were still too slow. He cupped himself to save embarrassment as they laughed, some of the girls walking down the stairs from the dorms upstairs caught sight of him and chuckled. He felt his face burn as the boys laughed. "Hannah sends her love," Stephen called before shutting the portrait hole, leaving Neville naked and mortified.


	10. Don't Panic Now

Theo, Terry and Roger had been faithful to their word. They had managed to gather almost all of the shreds together and reattach them. However, whether it was Hannah or the former Ravenclaws, there was at least one piece missing from every item. He groaned as he looked at the mess that was his uniform.

"I'm sorry that we weren't able to fix them completely. Will you be able to get replacements?" Theo asked as he rose from Terry's bed.

Neville shrugged. "I'll have to owl Madam Malkin and see whether she can make some replacements for me. At least I don't have to ask my Gran to do it for me now." He said as she sat down, more comfortable now that he was able to put on some clothes, even if his left leg was considerably shorter than the right. "Thank you so much for fixing this. Transfiguration isn't my strong suit."

"It's no problem," Terry said hesitantly. "However, Theo and I have been talking, and we do have a condition."

Neville swallowed and grimaced. "What's that?"

"We're not going to ask questions this time. We're also not going to mention this to anyone; however, if it happens again, you need to tell us what's going on," Theo added thoughtfully.

Neville nodded, it sounded fair. He looked down at his hands as he remembered the numbness from earlier. He rubbed them together nervously.

"Are you ready to go outside?" Theo asked gently.

Neville took a deep breath and stood up. He nodded confidently, even though his insides felt like jelly.

"Come on, let's get this over with," He said as they all headed for the door.

"Where have you been?" Hermione hissed as Neville sat down beside her. He smiled apologetically to Flitwick as he glanced over. Other students turned at the disruption. Neville clenched his teeth together in embarrassment as he tried to make as little noise as possible.  
"I," he paused, in the mess that was his morning, he hadn't thought about what he would tell his friends besides the truth. He cursed inwardly as he racked his brain "I, um, overslept" He avoided her eyes as he let the lie hang there between them. It sounded plausible, and after a few moments, it appeared that Hermione bought it as she accepted it and continued to listen to Flitwick. He spotted Ginny looking at him from the desk in front. He tried to smile and raised his fingers from the desk in a subtle wave. She smiled back before facing forward again, her eyes glancing down to whatever Luna was writing on her parchment.

He felt his anxiety dissipate slowly as the lesson continued as usual. With everyone's eyes facing forward, he could finally take a breath and centre himself. He had assumed that he wouldn't be able to keep the secret from them for long, but he wasn't going to volunteer the information. He didn't want to bother them with his troubles.

He started taking notes as Flitwick continued his speech. His eyes scanned the other students and stopped on Hannah. He could see her blonde head a few rows in front as she sat next to Stephen. He felt the panic rise in his chest again as the memories of being stripped and vulnerable. He felt his leg starting to bounce nervously and stopped as soon as he noticed Hermione glance at him. She smiled and shook her head as she turned back to Flitwick. He swallowed and rubbed his palms onto his trousers, feeling the sweat build up as he thought of the mess his clothes were.

His eyes found Hannah and Stephen again and met with Stephens smug gaze. He looked away nervously as he stopped himself tapping his quill. He had been told by Hannah so many times not to do it that now it was just a habit to stop before he was told to. He placed his hands flat against the desk before he could pick up anything else to fiddle with it. He hated that he felt so weak.

He couldn't understand why Stephen had suddenly started behaving like this. They had never been friends, and the stocky boy had even teased him in their earlier years. However, they had gravitated away from each other until this final year had brought them crashing together again.

"Well, I've rambled on enough, I would like you to pair up and work on the Protego charms. Please be considerate in the jinxes you use, anyone who harms their opponent may face detention." There was a murmur of agreement as people started to get up. Neville kept his eyes down as he got up. He could feel his anxiety spike, knowing that he hadn't heard a word of what Flitwick had said.

"You alright, Neville?" Hermione asked, her face creased with concern, "You don't look well." He nodded as he stood in front of her, he didn't trust his voice as he tried to concentrate. He stood and steadied himself as he cast his protego charm. Hermione fired her charm at him silently. Nothing happened, which Neville thought was incredible. She tried, again and again, nothing happened. "Well done, Neville." She smiled before positioning herself back. "go again?" He nodded and felt the spell connect with the shield before dissipating.

"-shame about his clothes." Neville heard as he turned. His eyes caught Hannah's before he felt empty space between himself and the floor. There was a sickening thud as the world went dark for a moment. He knew he was still conscious, but the pain seemed to overload his eyes for a second as he felt the warm liquid run from his nose.

"Neville, Are you alright?" Hermione's voice cut through the pain as she stood over him.

"I've been better." He muttered as he tried to get up.

"Granger, please be careful," Flitwick called, causing Hermione to blush. She helped him to his feet. He could hear Hannah and Stephen laughing from the other side of the room and felt his face flame and the panic start to build.

"Ignore her, She's a spiteful cow. You're better off without her. Let's swap for a while," Neville nodded before preparing for her attack again.

"-kisses like a slug in a bucket of Bubotuber pus" He heard Hannah say again as his jinx went wide, missing Hermione completely.

"Concentrate, Longbottom."

Neville took a deep breath before trying to focus again.

"-More like short cock, disappointing, to say the least." He clenched his teeth before taking another calming breath. He fired off a pathetic jelly leg jinx before giving up.

"What's going on, Nev?" Ginny asked as she and Luna approached.

"Nothing, It's fine." He stated before trying another jinx. He waited for a second while Hermione tried to get ready. He fired his wand again, and it hit her shield and fizzed out as predicted.

"Hannah must have been really lonely without you, She's going out with Cornfoot now," Luna said airily before continuing. "I don't know how anyone can be that lonely, surrounded by so many Nargles."

"I'm sorry, Neville," Ginny offered. Neville shook his head as he focussed on Hermione again.

"It's fine," Neville replied as he fired another shot at Hermione.

"I saw Nott giving him a blow job this morning!" Neville felt the anger flare up inside as he closed his eyes and turned away.

"Shut up, Cornfoot!" Ginny replied as she placed her hand on his back. "Ignore them. Just pathetic!"

Neville wanted to turn him inside out as he clenched his fists together. He watched as Ginny and Hermione exchanged glances. He had to make it through the rest of the lesson. He couldn't panic now.


	11. Through the Portrait Hole

It went on for the rest of the day, and Neville decided that he really didn't like Thursdays. A double period of Charms, followed by a double period of Runes was enough to drive anyone to despair. Stephen continued to mutter lewd and spiteful comments during Charms and then Hannah proceeded to make his life hell in Ancient Runes. She cast a trip jinx at him as he was carrying his runes, sending them scuttling along the floor. No one saw the jinx and thought that clumsy Neville was back.

She knew that he didn't want to be seen as a caricature of himself anymore. They had spent so many hours sat talking about each other that he knew that she had enough source material to make his life hell. Hermione and Ginny had shared many looks as the day had continued. The thought of spending another hour stuck between their non-verbal discussion was more than he could bear.

As lunchtime came around, he was about ready to blow off the day. Only the thought that the last lesson for the day was Herbology kept him going. He waved Hermione and Ginny on as he decided to head straight for the greenhouses.

He just wanted to be away from people in general. He passed the great hall with bearly a glance as he rushed away from the noise. The thought of being in the centre of that made his stomach churn. He longed to be outside where he could finally breath and could be alone with his own thoughts.

He kept his head down as he heard muttering and giggles as he walked by. He cursed Stephen and Hannah to Azkaban and back. No doubt he would be trying to live down any rumours until his children were in their 80's.

He hoped Theo wasn't angry with him for inadvertently involving him in this mess. He also hoped that Terry and Roger weren't dragged in too.

He pushed through the oppressive doors and took a deep breath of the fresh air. As it filled his lungs, he immediately started to feel better. Having the breeze on his face helped him feel free for the first time that day. He felt drawn to the greenhouses, and it took everything he had not to run to them for sanctuary.

He threw his bag down and, not caring that the ground was wet, fell down in a heap against the damp wooden and glass frame, letting out a long sigh of relief. The building adrenaline slowly began to diminish as he just earthed himself. Feeling the damp grass soaking into his trousers and the cold, wet glass pressing against his skin. There was particular magic in just sitting in nature and letting its energy heal you.

His mind wandered through random thoughts as he tried to distract himself. When he had face Nagini, he had genuinely believed that he was about to die; but somehow, not only had he survived, he had triumphed. Looking back, he often wondered whether he had been under the imperious curse and that his actions were the result of someone else.

There was no way that those actions could have been his. His big feet and lanky frame made him far too clumsy and ungainly to be able to pull off a stunt like that successfully. His mind seemed to meander through various failures in his life as his eyes settled on watching some birds nesting in the castle walls. His mind replaying every single foolish thing he had ever done.

He felt something nudge his arm and he turned, flinching when a figure loomed over him, as he waited for the blow to fall. It took him a moment to realise that it was Pansy who stared down at him, her grey eyes creased with concern.

"Hey," She said gently pushing back a stray strand of her almost-perfect raven bob. "Can I sit down?" He nodded before pulling off what was left of his robes, folding them and placing them onto the damp ground. He glanced up and saw Pansy quirk her eyebrow with a smirk.

"Such a gentleman" She murmured as she folded her skirt under her knees as she sat down. The move itself was full of languid grace that it made his head hurt to think about it. She smiled playfully to him as she bumped his shoulder, the space between them less than he had expected. He looked at her and quirked his lips in response. He almost apologised when he remembered her words from the night before. He looked away, not wanting to see the concern in her eyes again.

"Bad day?" She asked, leaning into him. He nodded as he rested his head against the glass pane behind him. "Mine wasn't great either, to be honest. I've had free periods all morning but I've been surrounded by a bunch of know-it-all Ravenclaws. All they do is quote facts and figures to each other all day. It was so dull." She complained with a chuckle. "However, I did hear some interesting things while I was there." Neville turned rolled his head to look at her. He grimaced as he considered what she was about to tell him.

"Apparently, Mcdougal and Turpin saw one of you boys naked this morning, through the portrait hole." He felt his face flame red and closed his eyes against the memory. "I couldn't help but overhear, and I must say what I heard sounds very interesting. Apparently whoever it was has a stomach like a washboard and struggled to cover himself up. If you know what I mean" she elbowed him gently and he groaned at the memory.

"Merlin, please stop!"

"It talks." She smiled "What else did they say, let me think." Pansy tapped her finger to her lips as she pretended to think. "That was it, that whoever this mysterious man is, will need to clear his dance card for the Yule ball this year." Neville groaned again as he looked down at his fingers. "You know, I'd probably try my luck with a guy like that if he weren't already spoken for." Neville frowned and turned to look at her. Pansy had looked away at this and Neville thought he could see some colour in her cheeks.

"Spoken for?" Neville asked.

"Apparently, he and Theo had some fun this morning. I tried to press Theo for information, but he has remained annoyingly close-lipped about the whole thing. Which isn't fair. I always tell him everything."

"Did Theo say anything?"

"Not really, a bit quiet maybe, but that's Theo, he never was a talker, I quite like that in a man." She caught his eyes this time and winked kindly.

"Anything else?" He asked, not really sure whether he wanted to know.

"I think that's about it for now, but I'll keep you posted." She nodded matter-of-factly.

Neville closed his eyes again as he rested his head back against the windowpane.

"Did you want to talk about it? Any of it?"

He took a deep breath and opened his eyes. He was about to shake his head when he turned to her. Her eyes looked so big and concerned.

"Theo didn't do anything this morning."

"I know, as I said, we tell each other everything, usually."

"Usually? Are you and he- you know?"

"Are we courting?" She asked before her face broke out into a grin. She shook her head as she avoided his eyes. She started to laugh as she answered. "No, absolutely not, he'd like a brother to me, and I'm like a sister to him, in-fact our families as so inbred that we're probably more closely related than siblings,"

"Oh," he nodded before looking away. He felt a slight sense of relief at the thought that they weren't together. "So he's not in trouble with you?"

"No, as I said, he's not a big talker, he'll tell me if and when he can. It's what we do."

"I think I heard someone say that he'd been seen giving me a - " he waved his hand over his crotch in embarrassment and grimaced at his own naivety.

"A blowjob?" She asked earnestly.

Neville nodded and frowned. "It's not true, I hope he's not angry with me, it was my fault."

"I highly doubt that." She said as she rested her head on his shoulder. "And I don't think he's that bothered about it. Being linked to such a studmuffin can only be good for his reputation."

"Studmuffin?" Neville asked with a smirk "Where do you get these words from?" He crossed his arm and flinched as he looked at his palm. He opened it and pulled a face. Over the day, he had clenched his hands so tightly that eight bright red crescent moons had bloomed in his palms. They weren't bleeding, but as the skin flexed they stung. He tried to hide them, but Pansy caught his hand and gently prised his fingers open to expose the wounds.

He flinched as he waited for the abuse as he remembered back to Hannahs reaction after a particularly bad panic attack. He grimaced as the silence stretched on. Pansy didn't say anything but pulled her wand out of her pocket. With a quick flick, the wounds were gone. She held her hand out for the other hand and Neville silently placed it in her hand, revelling in the warm softness of them. Another flick and only old scars remained. She returned her wand and stroked over the scarred skin with her fingers. She turned to look at him as she slowly raised his hands to her lips. She pressed a kiss against his left palm and then his right before lowering them and intertwining her fingers into his.

Neville felt his stomach roll in surprise and pleasure as her warm thumb rubbed against his palm. He watched as her skin caressed his own, and for a moment, a glimmer of hope sparked in his mind. He looked back to her, and she smiled kindly at him.

"I was serious last night, If you need me to just sit and listen, just like a flower, I can. You don't have to put up with this shit alone." She squeezed his hand, and he squeezed hers back. "If you need me to curse anyone, just say the word and Stephen will wake up as a Stephanie." Neville snorted at that as a smile broke through his mood.

"That's better!" She said as she released his right hand. He watched as she turned back to her bag and pulled out a small package. "This is for you."

Neville frowned as he took the package. Pansy reluctantly let go of his hand as he went to open the parcel. He shook his head as his stomach growled angrily.

"What?" He started

"You missed breakfast because you were flashing the student body, and you missed lunch so I thought I'd grab you some food." Neville looked and saw sandwiches and fruit and quiche and some other things yet to be discovered. He felt a pang in his chest. It was probably one of the most beautiful things anyone had ever done for him.

"How did you know I missed breakfast?" He asked as he looked up.

"Just assume I know everything, it'll save time." She smiled as she leant against his arm again. She patted his arm gently as she linked her arm through his.

They sat in companionable silence for a while as they shared the sandwiches.

"Neville?" Pansy asked after a while.

"Hmm?" he murmured as he rested his head on hers.

"There is something I don't know, and it's paining me not to."

"What's that?" He asked as he breathed her in.

"What happened to your clothes?"


	12. Honesty Between Friends

"Well, I am heartbroken!" A voice cut through the air before Neville could answer. They both looked around, and Neville felt both relieved and sick as the black-haired man arrived.

"Heartbroken?" Pansy asked with a smirk and a raised eyebrow.

"My best friend and my lover, who'd have thought it. Absolutely scandalous!" Theo smirked as he hitched his own bag up further onto his shoulder.

Neville looked up speechless before climbing to his feet, He offered Pansy his hand and helped her up, again enjoying the feeling of her hand in his. He didn't try to let go and waited for her to remove her hand. He felt his heart flutter slightly when she didn't.

"Theo, I'm so sorry about everything."

"Don't worry about it. Apparently, you are the perfect person to be associated with," He replied with a smirk. "You would not believe how many people I've spoken to today because of you."

Neville felt his cheeks glow. Pansy squeezed his hand, drawing his eye. She winked and smiled, and he felt slightly better.

"I'm afraid you couldn't turn him, Theo."

Theo shrugged dramatically and sighed. "I tried."

They both laughed as Neville watched, feeling like he was missing something.

Theo looked at him and smiled. "I'm gay, Longbottom." He explained.

"Oh," Neville nodded and then smiled. "Sorry" He shrugged.

"Don't worry." He rolled his eyes in good humour before looking at him thoughtfully. "How are you feeling now?" His eyes darted to Pansy before back to him. Neville copied as Pansy glanced between them both.

"Better. Thank you,"

"This is rather unfair! Honesty between friends remember!" She protested as she squeezed his knuckles. He looked down at his hand before looking back up to her face. She grinned smugly, as though daring him to ask about their hands. Maybe she was right, perhaps he should just assume that she knew everything because he sure as hell didn't. She released his hand slowly and held her arm out to Theo, who linked it in with his own. "Now, tell me all about his washboard abs and any other detail that you believe to be noteworthy," She purred. Her beautiful eyes glancing back to him, slyly as she waited for Theo to continue.

"Merlin, not this again!" Neville laughed. Theo coughed as he gave Pansy a meaningful glance. He opened his mouth to speak when someone else interrupted.

"So this is where you all got to." Neville turned to the voice and smiled.

"Hi," He said as Luna stepped up next to them, Her dreamy gaze falling across them all.

"Theo, Anthony Goldstein asked me to return your book. He said you dropped it."

Neville looked at Pansy as she grinned and pushed Theo playfully. Theo blushed and smiled as he took the book. "Between you and me, I think he likes you." Luna smiled as she leant in to whisper the information.

Neville smiled, and it felt like one of his most genuine of the day.

"Looks like I should thank you, Longbottom," Theo said as he pushed the book into his bag before looking back to Neville. "If you hadn't let me help you this morning, Goldstein wouldn't be so jealous."

"You're welcome?" He asked, not knowing quite how to respond. Pansy peeled away from Theo and linked arms with Neville as she whispered. He revelled in the scent of cherries as her hair brushed his face.

"He's been trying to catch Goldstein's eye all term. Whatever you did this morning seems to have worked." Neville raised his eyes brows as he pushed his fingers through his hair.

"Well done, Neville," Luna added with a smile. "I see Pansy was able to soothe your thoughts. However, you both seem to be surrounded by wrackspurts," Neville smiled and nodded.

"Thanks, Luna, yeah she has." He smiled at Pansy as he caught her eye. She smiled back, smugly.

Voices coming from the other side of the greenhouses caught their attention as they realised that the seventh years had finally joined them. Neville picked up his robes and bag as the rest started to join the younger students by the door of the greenhouse. Pansy waited as she frowned.

"What's wrong?" He asked nervously as he looked about himself for faults.

"It's really hurting me, Neville. Please, what did you do to your clothes? And would you let me try and fix it?" Neville felt shame wash over him as the smile fell from his face.

"It's nothing." He murmured as he dried his robes with his wand.

"Sorry, can I fix them?" She asked gently, placing her hand on his arm. He looked up at her and nodded. She smiled and pulled her wand out "Turn around." She commanded as he slipped the now dry robes over his head.

He felt a breeze surround his back, but then nothing else happened. He felt Pansy step closer as she inspected her work.

"Is it ok?" He asked nervously. He felt her pull at the material and turned.

"It'll do, you'll need replacements though, any more magic and it'll start to shred again, I can see the marks."

"Thank you." He said as his anxiety twinged.

"No problem,"

They all filed into the greenhouse as Professor Sprout opened the doors. Out of all the greenhouses, greenhouse seven was by far the most dangerous place in the grounds, with perhaps the exception of the Forbidden Forest and the Potions store cupboard. Poisonous, venomous and strange plants grew there, and only the most experienced and conscientious students were permitted entry, which was probably why they were in greenhouse six.

Neville hung back as the seventh years flowed into the class and then to let Luna and Pansy through. Pansy glanced back and smiled over her shoulder as he followed her in. As they entered the air was hot and close, immediately bringing sweat to Neville's face. The seventh years were equally warm in their colourful robes as they lined up either side their flowerbeds. Neville, Pansy and Theo, being the only eighth years, had a bench to themselves along with Luna. Pansy motioned for him to join her on her side of the table, Theo filed in beside Luna, not giving Neville the chance to change his mind.

Luna smiled at him knowingly as Pansy nudged against him affectionately. Neville felt the smile creep onto his face as he tried to ignore them both. He tried to listen as Sprout spoke, her brisque, no-nonsense tone breaking the silence. His eyes kept drifting back to Pansy as his mind wandered. He smiled when she glanced back at him and smiled again before returning her gaze to the front. He wasn't used to someone being so affectionate towards him. Even Hannah had been sparing with her praise. He wondered whether this was what it was like to be friends with Pansy. His eyes followed the sweet curve of the side of her cheek and down her neck. He wondered whether she would ever consider being more than friends. He didn't know whether he would ever be brave enough to ask her.

His mind flashed back to Hannah when he had asked her to join him on a visit to Dogweed and Deathcap in Hogsmeade. It was the closest thing to a date he had ever asked anyone. Ginny and the Yule Ball in fourth year didn't count as she practically asked him. Hannah had laughed at him and announced that to be the worst idea of a date that she could think of. The laughter had been contagious, and the other Ravenclaw girls had fallen in.

He wondered whether Pansy would laugh at him in front of everyone too? Before this year started, it wouldn't have been a question in his mind. If he had ever thought about asking her out, he would have been confident that she would have laughed him out of the great hall. Now though, he wasn't so sure. He looked down at what had been the frayed edge of his robes and realised that they looked almost as good a new where Pansy had repaired some of the damage.

He was brought back to himself when a plant appeared in front of them. Pansy looked at it and then back to Neville with a raised eyebrow. Neville shrugged, It was one of the plants from greenhouse seven that he hadn't been shown yet.

The plant before them was mostly a bush of green leaves; however, what made this plant notable was the shoot of strange white berries that shot out of the top. Each white berry had a black dot in the centre and was held onto the stem with a thick, bulbous red stem. He thought that they looked strangely like eyes as the plant stared unseeing at him.

"Please, do not touch." Professor Sprout announced as one of the seventh year boys fainted.

"Mr Mensah? Please could you levitate Mr Laker to the infirmary? No dilly-dallying." A black Hufflepuff boy nodded towards the front before levitating a blond boy and floating him out of the front door. "Now let that be a lesson to you, no one is to touch this plant without using your gloves."

She moved her plump body into the middle of the greenhouse so that everyone could see her before speaking again. She did a double-take of their table as if trying to understand something before turning away again. Neville suspected that she was trying to understand why a Gryffindor and a Ravenclaw was willingly sitting with a couple of Slytherins.

"Now, Is there anyone here who knows what plant this is?" Curious gazes darted across them all as the room remained silent. "No? Not surprising really as very few of you would have had the misfortune of coming into contact with this nasty little beastie." She said brusquely. "This plant is sometimes known as 'Doll's eyes' or by its Latin name of 'Actaea Pachypoda,' We shall refer to it by its common name of White baneberry. Muggles are aware of the toxicity of this plant, so much of its information can be cited from muggle literature. However, very little is known as to its magical properties."

She wandered around slowly as she looked at each student over the rim of her small glasses. "Your task today is to run some diagnostics to see what information you can derive from your sample. Please do wear gloves, and do not under any circumstance, let your skin come into contact with the plant. Further reading can be found in your textbooks on page two hundred and seventy-one."

She turned her back and returned to the front of the greenhouse, where she started to prune some of the venomous tentacular.

"My Dad said that little sap sprites can live amongst the branches and have a tendency to bite," Luna said earnestly as she pulled her dragonhide gloves on.

"I've heard that too, I didn't know it was the case with baneberries though," Pansy replied as she too pulled her gloves on and tucked her robe sleeves into the edges.

Neville looked between Pansy and Luna as they discussed some of the properties in the book. He kept waiting for Pansy to say something rude and condescending or Luna to say something strangely inciteful but inappropriate, but neither happened. He tried to imagine how the conversation would have gone if he'd heard it between Hannah and Luna instead. He cringed at how wrong and hostile it would go.

He smiled as he opened his book, cursing that he hadn't done it before he'd put his gloves on. If he had been asked for three randoms names of people, he didn't think that his imagination would have come up with theirs together for friends, but here they were. Even Sprout had been surprised to see them all stood together.

Theo pulled his gloves on before they all started to read.

"Did you read that?" Theo asked, looking at them all in turn "It states that by touching the leaves, toxins can enter the bloodstream causing the muscles around the heart to relax." He looked at the book for a moment, a thoughtful look on his face. "That could potentially have something to do with the magical core. What if it's less to do with the toxins and something that either stuns or absorbs a wizard's magical essence?"

Neville raised his eyebrows in surprise. It was a grand theory, and he certainly didn't have any better. He nodded in appreciation as he read further into the entry. His eyes skimmed the information about location and preferred soil type as he tried to find any other clues.

"It says here that the poison can leave little welts on the victim's skin. That would be in keeping with Luna's thoughts about sap Sprites. There may not be anything to this plant itself." Pansy offered as she pulled out her wand. Neville watched as she waved it over the red stems. As he watched some tiny white flecks appeared as they steadily grew in size. Slowly small mites became visible, looking like a cross between a crocodile and a woodlouse.

"We may need a container for it," Theo commented as they all looked at the creature in awe. Neville nodded as he turned to leave. He headed towards the cupboard at the end where containers, pot and other tools were kept. He straightened and turned to go.

"Neville Longbottom?" He stopped as he almost walked into someone. He looked down and frowned as a girl stood blocking his way. He smiled and tried to step to the side to step around her, but she moved to block him again. She was pretty in a cute kind of way as she pushed her blond hair out of her face, her dragonhide gloves missing most of it. He could tell she was nervous as she kept looking at his chest. She shifted her weight onto her back foot as she bit her lip.

"Yeah, are you alright?" he asked after a moment.

"Hi, I'm Daisy, Daisy Chadwick."

"Hi, Daisy," He replied with a smile. "Can I help with something?" He asked as he looked back over to his table. He caught Pansy's eye before looking back to the Hufflepuff before him.

"Erm, I was wondering something. I heard that you and Hannah broke up." He frowned more and nodded.

"That's true," He waited as she tried to say what it was that she wanted to say.

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that. However, I was hoping that now you're single, whether you would like to go out to Hogsmeade or maybe the Yule ball- with me?" She looked down as she tied her fingers into knots. He stood dumbfounded as the question bounced around his head.

He stammered as he tried to formulate a response. He had never been asked out by a girl before, and again Ginny didn't count, she was more like a sister.

His eyes travelled up to Pansy again. She was the only person he could ever see himself wanting to go to the Yule ball with. He felt a surge of relief as he noticed that she was walking over.


	13. Take A Hike

He glanced back at the girl in front of him and suddenly wondered what was about to happen. Was Pansy just coming to get the container? Was she annoyed that he was talking to another girl? Was she going to be mean? A flash of fear and apprehension clouded his smile as he wondered whether she would react like Hannah would have. He cringed as she approached.

"You alright, Honey?" Pansy asked as she bumped playfully into his side, taking the container with one hand then taking his hand in the other. "Are you coming? Things were just getting interesting,"

He nodded, speechless again as he watched. Honey? A thrill tingled up his spine at the nickname. Pansy turned her eyes to the Hufflepuff as if only just noticing her.

"Oh, hi. I'm Pansy, Pansy Parkinson, and you are?" She asked politely if cooly. The blond looked between them and then down to their joined hands as her shoulders drooped.

"Erm, yes, I'm Daisy" She replied glumly.

"Can we help you with anything?" Pansy asked, her tone still polite and almost friendly.

"No, I was just getting- um a- new pot from the cupboard," The girl stammered.

"Oh, alright then. Off you pop, and we'll be out of your way. Lovely talking to you, Daisy. Come on, Sweetheart." Pansy said before pulling Neville away. Neville smiled apologetically before following Pansy back to their seat.

Once out of earshot, Pansy turned to him. He held his breath as he waited for her reaction. He wasn't sure why he was expecting a reaction, they were only friends. He wondered whether he secretly hoped for a response to give him some indication that he was special to her. Why had she called him sweetheart? Was he special to her?

"Are you alright?" Pansy asked, her eyes full of concern.

"Yeah, thanks for the rescue." He sighed as relief flooded him.

"What did she want?" She asked innocently. Neville snorted as he glanced back to the table where Daisy was muttering with her friends, her face looking decidedly sullen and crestfallen. She glanced over at them but rushed to look away before Pansy could catch her. He turned back to Pansy, who still looked concerned.

"She was asking me out." Pansy blinked at him. He thought he saw her face pale before she looked away. Neville felt another tingle of excitement as he watched her face for a reaction.

"Oh, I thought maybe she was giving you a hard time, I thought she may have been ones of Hannah's friends." There was an awkward pause before she spoke again. "When are you going to see her? Are you going somewhere nice?"

"What? No. I'm not going out with her. I mean I didn't say no, but I didn't say yes either, you sort of interrupted." He chuckled slightly as he pushed his hair out of his face.

"Were you going to say yes? I can go and speak to her if you'd like me to?" She asked as she concentrated on opening the container. She seemed determined not to look at him.

"No, I was going to say no, it just caught me off guard. Girls don't usually ask me out," he replied warily and felt the relief flood him as she smiled. She looked up to him finally and passed him the container.

"Can you open this please?" He opened it with ease before he passed it back, their fingers touching as she took the jar. Pansy smiled again as she held it open for Theo, who lowered the suspended sprites into the jar.

"Everything alright, you two?" Theo asked with a smirk as his eyes darted between the two of them and the jar.

"It is now," Pansy replied as she glanced at him before peering in at the strange critter.

The rest of the lesson continued with Professor Sprout gawping at the small critters which they had nicknamed Slytherclaws in honour of Luna, Theo's and Pansy's contribution. Apparently, no one in the Herbology field had ever considered there to be a magical creature behind the strange plant's toxicity.

Pansy and Theo had continued to share loaded looks as they left the greenhouse. They paused and hugged before splitting off.

"See you later, I've got to head to Advanced Arithmancy." He said as he hugged Pansy and walked off. Luna smiled at Neville and followed. He already knew that she was heading to art class. She always returned back to the common room on a Thursday night covered in paint.

Pansy stood for a moment holding her bag and looked at him, she looked lost and slightly insecure. It was a look he wasn't used to seeing on her face, but he thought it made him fall further for her. "Do you have anywhere you need to be now? I've got a free double period." Neville smiled and shook his head.

"I'm free too. I was thinking about trying to get those plants that I tried to get on Saturday. I'm not in a rush to head back to the dorms just yet." He felt the nerves churning as he considered asking her to join him.

"Would you mind if I came too? If I head back now, I'll only be surrounded by dull people, I'll be bored out of my brain."

"Sure," He agreed quickly and was rewarded with a smile. "But it might be quite a walk, and I'm not sure how long we'll be…" He trailed off and swallowed. He didn't want it turning out like it had with Hannah.

Pansy winked and pulled out her wand. She pointed it at her shoes, and he watched as they went from stylish black heels to black flats, ideal for walking. "I'm sure I'll be able to keep up." She said with a dare in her eyes. He smiled in reply as he pulled his robes off and put them in his bag.

The weather couldn't have been any different from his last excursion. Where the rain had come down in fat, soaking droplets, now the autumn air rushed past their clothes as the clouds drifted lazily past the sun. Neville stood on a small rise and took in the scenery before turning to offer Pansy a hand. She smiled and took it as she tried to climb up over an unusually large rock.

She straightened, bringing her body close against him. Looking down into those deep, grey eyes, who needed nature and the great outdoors when he could stare into galaxies here in her eyes. They panted together, and Neville felt his cheeks redden at the idea of doing things that made them gasp in unison. He tried to push those thoughts from his mind as he wrenched his eyes from her.

He felt an answering twinge in his boxers as he tried to concentrate on where they were going.

"So, what are these plants we're looking for again?" she asked as she looked around.

"Bulgerwort and Pipeweed." He replied.

"Are they difficult to find?" She asked, sounding genuinely curious. He turned to look at her. He had been waiting for her to start complaining about how long they'd been out for, just as Hannah had but so far she had been excellent company.

"I'm hoping to find some just beyond that ridge there, according to the maps, there's a small waterfall where they could grow. The conditions should be perfect for them." He leant into her as he pointed to a small rise. She leant into him as her gaze followed his arm, pressing her chilled cheek to his. He waited a second before pulling away, the scent of violets clinging to him.

"How come there?" She asked as she tightened her robes around her.

"They both like moist, rocky areas, so we'll have to stay close to the stream or venture closer to the lake itself." He explained as he started to walk again.

There was silence for a few moments before she spoke again.

"What do you see yourself doing when you finish school?" She was next to him now, keeping pace as they slowly climbed up the hill. He considered the question for a moment before answering. He shortened his pace to make walking easier for her.

"Harry and Ron said there might be a space in the Aurors for me, but I'm not sure that's what I'll want to do forever. I think I'd enjoy a research placement somewhere. What about you?" He asked as he turned to her, she smiled in reply as she bit her lip. Watching her teeth press into that soft, plump flesh made him groan silently.

"I don't know. I've not really been encouraged to have a career. Being the sole heir means I'm expected to get married and pop out heirs until I'm too old to be much good for anything." There was a sadness to her response and Neville frowned.

"But you're so clever, you could do anything." He shook his head before liking at her again. "If you could do absolutely anything, what would you like to do?" She thought about it for a while as the wind whipped her hair around her face.

"I always thought that Spagyric was exciting, and my classes support that."

"Oh, Plant Alchemy." He nodded as he mulled it over. "That's a challenging field. Very competitive. You'd be a shoo-in, that little discovery from earlier wouldn't hurt your case either."

"You're being too kind!" She laughed, and the sound made him smile. "Could you imagine it thought? I could be the one to find a cure for Dragon pox."

"That would be amazing. I wouldn't be surprised either." She beamed at him as they carried on walking.

"I reckon you'd look pretty good in those Auror robes." She smirked as she raised her eyebrow teasingly. "The dark grey straps and all those buttons." She shivered and sighed "I do love a man in uniform."

"Hopefully the uniform would hold up better than these things." He said sardonically as he pulled at his jumper. They laughed as they carried on walking,

They talked about fun things they'd done in their childhoods, to laughing about the apparent attraction between their mutual friends, Harry and Draco.

"Oh, Draco was intolerable!" she claimed dramatically "He seemed to know absolutely everything about him and about where he would be. If they don't get it together soon, I may have to intervene!" She chuckled.

"I know what you mean, Harry would come back to the dorms and would swear that he was up to something almost every single day." Neville laughed too.

"It's like they were made for each other. If only they could see themselves." Pansy smiled as she glanced at him and away again. Neville swallowed and nodded.

They were finally at the edge of the rise and Neville had to hold his breath. The view was breathtaking. He held his breath as Pansy stopped next to him.

"Oh, Neville." She exclaimed breathily. "It's beautiful!" He nodded as he turned to look at her. Her cheeks had reddened in the cold air, and the sun had brought out her freckles. He had to nod. She was exquisite.

She glanced at him and noticed him staring at her. Her cheeks reddened further as the blush spread down her neck. She smiled coyly as she pushed her hair out of her face. Neville shook himself. He looked back at the waterfall before clearing his throat.

"I think the easiest way down might be this way." He muttered as he tried to hide his embarrassment. Pansy nodded as she followed him down.

A fine mist floated around them as they descended towards the plunge pool, leaving the path slippery. He heard a yelp from behind him as Pansy skidded down. He managed to grab her as she slipped closer to the ledge. His heart was in his throat as Pansy panted in fear. She held her chest for a moment, eyes closed as she gathered herself.

"You alright?" He asked as he too took a deep breath. She nodded as she tried to stand again. Neville held her hand as she got to her feet. "We're almost down," He said as he released her hand. He looked into her face again, to check she was alright. She nodded back in confirmation as they started moving down.

Once at the bottom, they stood for a moment, breathing heavily. Pansy sat on one of the large rocks that separated the plunge pool from the stream leading to the lake. Neville dropped his bag to the side as he ventured closer to the water's edge. Surely he would be able to find the plants here.

He felt the sun pound onto his back, the heat absorbed by his dark uniform. He wiped the sweat from his face before he pulled his jumper over his head. He turned to throw his jumper back over to his bag when Pansy caught his eye.

"Stripping off? Oh, that's a great idea!" He watched as she started to pop the buttons from her shirt. He watched mesmerized as he felt his dreams coming true.


	14. It's All For You

He swallowed as he stood rooted to the spot. His eyes locked on her. She untucked her shirt from her skirt and then undid the buttons, giving him a flash of bra before tying the ends together over her stomach. The resulting flash of flesh made his mind freeze and his blood go south. His mouth had gone dry as he looked away.

"Are you alright?" She asked. He glanced back and nodded as he tried to divert his mind. He tried to appreciate just how beautiful it was here, and how warm the sun was and how clear the water was as he stood gazing into the shimmering pool. He felt the stone wobble slightly as she stepped closer to him. "Do I make you uncomfortable?" He looked down at her and felt trapped in those bright eyes.

"Not exactly." He murmured "I'm just trying to be polite,"

"Polite? How come?"

"I caught sight of your-" he waved his hand in the general direction of her chest. "You're very pretty, and I don't want you to think that I'm ogling you." He said as the blush burned hotter than the sun behind his skin.

"You think I'm pretty?" she asked coyly as her face took on the vulnerable look he'd seen earlier.

"I think you're beautiful. But I respect-" He swallowed and closed his eyes for a moment before continuing "you don't gawk at friends. Not in that way."

"In what way?" she asked innocently. He was sure that he was burning from the inside out with the intensity of his blush.

"I don't want to ruin our friendship, you've come to mean a great deal to me." He answered, hoping that she would drop it. She paused and looked at him before stepping closer. The shift in weight was too much as the boulder tilted.

The shock of icy cold water hit him and froze every thought solid as every inch of his sang out in panic. It took him a minute to realise that Pansy was also in the water. She bobbed mouth open in a silent scream as she slowly trod water. He started to move forward towards the large boulder on the shore. He grabbed her arm and pulled her with him. Pushing her out first, he hauled himself from the pool and relished the heat of the sun on his skin as he slowly peeled out of his shirt.

He felt his stomach muscles tensing as every cell in his body cramped up in a bid to conserve heat.

"Fuck!" Pansy muttered as she shifted next to him, rubbing herself to warm up.

He nodded in wholehearted agreement as he shivered.

"Was this your plan to see my washboard abs?" he asked as he started to laugh. "You could have just asked," He heard her start to giggle too until neither of them could breathe. He lay back and stared up at the sky as he tried to unclench his muscles. He caught movement from the corner of his eye and rolled his head.

With shaking fingers, Pansy had finished undoing the knot in her shirt. She slid the soaked material from her shoulders until the shirt was gone exposing the side of her lacy bra. The soft curve of her breast pressing against the sodden material made him ache. Neville closed his eyes, knowing that he had already seen too much; the sight travelled straight to his cock as he lay waiting for the temptation to pass.

He heard movement from right next to his head. He opened his eyes and blinked when he saw Pansy's face gazing down at him. A playful smile played on her lips as her hair clung to her head. From this distance, he could count the freckles across her cheeks and the flecks of silver in her grey eyes.

"Where were we?" She asked quietly. "Oh yes, gawking," She tilted her head and looked down at him. Neville blinked, as he tried to keep his eyes on her face. Glimpses of black lace visible from out of the corner of his eye. "in what way do you try not to gawk at me?" she purred, as her daintily painted nails, pressed against her cheek.

"I don't want to take advantage of seeing you in your underthings, but you make it so difficult." He said with a grimace.

She smiled at him as she leant forward. Her lips almost kissed the lobe of his ear as she whispered into it.

"Did it ever occur to you that I might want you to take advantage?" He felt his heart given an almighty thud as he pulled back from her to look her in the face. He cleared his throat with a jump.

"Sorry?" He asked. He must have misheard.

"Did it ever occur to you that I only do those things because I want you to watch me?"

Oh, dear Merlin, Salazar, Godric and Helga! His cock twitched again as he thought back to all the times she had bent over the table to look at something or had leant in a particular way letting her blouse gape. It had all been intentional and intended for him.

"Do you?" Neville asked in a whisper. To speak louder would wake him from the dream, he was sure of it.

She nodded as her eyes glanced down at his lips, He let out a breath and blinked for a long moment before looking back up into her face. He did something he had wanted to do since the first week of term. He reached out and held her face in his hand, stroking his thumb against her lips. Feeling how soft they were seemed to awaken an uncontrollable urge within him as he gently pulled her face to his.

"Please," she begged and with that one word, any control he had, dissolved as he pulled her to him. Their lips touched, and it was as heavenly as he had expected. It felt like his body had exploded back into stardust, each and every atom blowing up simultaneously, blowing his mind wide open. Her lips sent tingles to every nerve and as they parted her tongue gently slid against his lips. He felt like he was dying as his heart thudded like a hammer against his ribs.

He pushed his fingers into her hair, holding her tight and close. She moaned into his mouth, and it awoke a hunger within him. He wanted to devour every noise that came out of that sinful mouth.

When their tongues touched, he couldn't hold back the groan of his own. He pushed himself up without breaking their connection lying her back, her head cradled in the crook of his elbow.

He placed his other hand on her cheek as he gently claimed her with his lips. Her hand caressed his waist, perilously close to the growing bulge in his trousers. That thought made him pause and pull back as he tried to gain some clarity.

"Is this ok?" He asked as he searched her face looking for any sign of discomfort.

"Oh Neville, just shut up and kiss me," she smirked as she pulled him back in crushing their lips together as their tongues stroked and teased each other. Her hand grabbed his and began to guide it downwards. He pulled away to watch, his eyes hungry for the sight of her.

Her hand pushed his down her neck and carried on going until his fingertips touched the edge of her lace bralette. She slowly placed his hand on her breast. He shuddered as he squeezed the soft mound gently, massaging the area with his palm. She sighed and closed her eyes as he watched. It was like all of his dreams rolled into one as he watched the lace tug at her hard nipple. He bent his head down to kiss her again. Pulling her bottom lip into his mouth and groaning when he heard her sigh into his mouth.

He continued to massage her breast before doing something he had wanted to do for weeks. He moved his hand down and gently rubbed his fingers around the taut nub beneath the lace. He listened to her as he breath hitched. Her back arching with every stroke. He wondered whether her noises would change if he tried gently pinching.

He took her nipple between his finger and thumb and pressed gently eliciting a breathy groan. He did it again but this time tried twisting slightly just enough to move the skin.

Her body jumped as though she has been struck by lightning. She groaned scandalously into his mouth. Merlin! How he loved that he could make her moan like this. He pulled away slightly before trailing kisses down her neck. Her breath caught, and goosebumps erupted across her skin. He turned to watch as the material twisted with the touch of his fingers. He moved his thumb away and hooked it beneath the lace. He had spent so long imagining it that he needed to see them. He slowly pulled the lace free to expose the goosebumped skin, drawing the material against the pert nipple, before letting it flick against it as the puckered flesh escaped.

It was gorgeous and everything he had imagined. He couldn't wait any longer as he lowered his face and took it in his mouth. Pansy's body jerked as she moaned, her hands tangling in his wet hair. Every thought and feeling he'd had returned, fueling him on as his cock strained for release. He wished that she would touch him but wanted to concentrate on her.

As it reading his mind, her fingers stretched and brushed against his trousers and the delicate skin beneath. He sighed as he licked the flat of his tongue against her nipple. Her breath caught as she tugged on his hair.

"They're so sensitive, Neville." She whispered in warning. He flicked his tongue against it swirling it around in his mouth. The smell of cherries and violets filling his nostrils. He wanted to break her, to ruin her against the stone beneath them and witness her undoing. He wanted to watch, knowing that he had been the cause. He moved his hand lower as his eyes met hers, He waited for her to stop him as his fingers followed the contour on her body, revelling in how soft her skin was. Her pupils were blown with lust as a pink blush dusted her cheeks. She smiled and nodded before bucking again at another flick of his tongue.

"Salazar!" she breathed into the sky before reaching down to take him into her hand. Still confined to his trousers, the touch teased cruelly. "Take those off." She commanded, he smirked and swirled his tongue against the soft flesh making her eyes close and her mouth open. "Not fair!" she panted

He released her abused nipple and blew against it, causing the skin to tighten.

"And teasing me for weeks has been? I'm just getting my own back."

He found the hem of her skirt and pushed his hand beneath it as he slid his fingers up. He groaned as he felt the rough lace of her stockings.

"Your stockings are positively criminal, how have none of the teachers given you detention yet?"

Pansy laughed nervously as he stroked the skin between her groin and the stockings. She tried to wriggle away, but he held her firm.

"I'm so ticklish, stop." She gasped, and he stopped. He smirked as he pressed his fingers against his prize. Pansy froze immediately, her complaint lost to the wind as the air left her lungs. He stroked his thumb against the lace of her panties, smirking as she tried to push against him. He kept the touches feather-light so that she couldn't gain the friction she obviously desired.

He watched her face as her eyes closed and twitched as he teased her with his sure but gentle caresses. He closed his own eyes as he listened as her breath started to quicken. He stopped and waited for her eyes to look at him. Her eyes were like drowning pools as he gazed down. He claimed her lips as his fingers plunged into the downy hair beneath the lace. He felt the hot, damp line and stroked gently as she cried out.

He kissed her deeply, stroking her with his tongue as he pushed his fingers into the folds of her flesh. Indulgent heat enveloped his fingers as the slippery flesh below yielded to his touch. He gently began his stroking rhythm again as he felt her body respond.

Distracted by the sensations, her mouth opened in a silent cry as he alternated between stroking and tapping.

She mewled and cried in his arms as he worked faster. A sheen of sweat glinted on her pale skin as the sun glittered through the trees. He knew that this moment would be etched onto his eyelids and into his memories forever as he slowly brought Pansy to tears. He felt her folds tighten and twitch around him as his name fell from her lips like a prayer.

"Neville, I'm so close, please." she keened as he worked faster. He swallowed in anticipation as he stared, enchanted, as her body began to shake and tremble. He took her nipple into his mouth again, and with a single swirl of his tongue, she came. Her flesh greedily clutched and pulled against him as he continued to move his fingers, determined to make her pleasure last as long as he could.

Her cries and gasps into the wilderness made him throb with need as she fell apart in his arms. He waited for the dream to end with him alone in his bed, but the world around him stayed focused. Real. Beautiful.

As Pansy's cries calmed, he removed his fingers and redressed her before pulling her to him and pressing his lips to hers.

"Best. Hike. Ever." She muttered weakly as she kissed him back languidly.


	15. Cherries & Ecstacy

The world melted away as he felt her lips against his; the scent of cherries mingled with her ecstasy as he held her close. She pulled away slowly as she held his face in her hands.

"That was amazing, Neville. How are you still single?" He blushed and grinned.

"I don't know, did you still want to set me up with that Hufflepuff?" She glared and smacked his arm gently before smiling.

"Don't even mention her!" She pouted.

"Ok," He smiled as he pushed some hair out of her face. She looked down at her fingers, and her face grew serious. "Are you alright?"

She looked up at him, and some of the cloud lifted. She nodded and smiled, but the smile didn't show in her eyes.

"I'm fine; however, you might want to look for those plants, it'll be dark soon." Pansy sat up

Neville frowned as he stared at her back. "The plants can wait, did I do something wrong?"

He watched as she turned around a look of surprise on her face.

"No, absolutely not! I loved every second." She turned to look him in the eyes before cupping his face in her hands to kiss him.

"Then what's wrong?" he asked, grabbing her hand as she went to turn away. Pansy went to open her mouth, but he interrupted. "Honesty amongst friends remember." He warned as he stroked her hand, rubbing circles into her palm.

He felt sick with nerves. He didn't want to lose this; he didn't want to let her go. The last few hours had been the best he'd had in forever. They didn't quite finish each other's sentences, her unpredictability was one of the things he loved about her. Her spontaneity was so refreshing.

She looked down at their hands and sighed before looking back up at him.

"Just some bad memories of a previous relationship." She snorted derisively as she turned away from him. "I'm sure I'm doing a great job of ruining this date."

Neville swallowed as his head did a small somersault.

"Date?" He questioned unable to keep the smile from forming on his face. She covered her face in her hand as she avoided looking at him. He laughed as he pulled her in for a hug, loving the feeling of her naked skin against his. "Hey, don't be embarrassed, it can be a date."

"Neville, please. Just stop." She laughed as she looked up at him, her blush back in her cheeks.

"I would love it to be a date, it's just, aren't there usually flowers involved? A gift or something?" He smirked as he kissed her forehead.

Pansy laughed and shook her head against his shoulder.

"I'll let it slide just this once, but don't let it happen again." She looked up at him and pulled his head down to meet hers.

"You mean there are going to be more dates?" Neville asked, bearly lifting his lips from hers as she tugged at his hair.

"Do you not want to?" She asked, pulling away to look into his eyes, one of her neat eyebrows arching in disbelief. Neville chuckled.

"Where would milady like to go?" He asked before claiming her lips again. He stroked her neck, making her shiver and moan. He grinned smugly as she pulled away.

"How about we do something more traditional?" She asked, "How about we go to Hogsmeade this weekend?"

"Sounds great." He admitted as he smiled.

"Now come on, get looking for your plants and I'll try and get our clothes dry."

"This is just an excuse to get my trousers isn't it?" He asked with a chuckle as they both rose up.

"Darling, All I would need to do would be to flick a carefully placed jinx at those, and they would fall to pieces," She raised her eyebrow again before winking at him. Neville rolled his eyes. "However, I might try it if you're as sexy underneath." She looked at his chest, and he blushed. He wasn't used to women looking at him as she was now. Hungry.

He cleared his throat and turned away as he began looking at the side of the plunge pool. There were telltale signs that the weeds grew there, but he couldn't see any of the leaves.

He spotted something submerged below the rippling pool. He pointed his wand at it, causing the water to recede enough to expose the plant.

"Got one." He called as he accio'd a sample pot from his discarded bag.

"Which one?" Pansy asked.

"Pipeweed," he said as he filled the sample pot with water. He severed the weed and scooped it up before gently pushing it into the container and sealing it.

"Any sign of the other one?" Neville looked around and shook his head.

"I could do with more time. But we had better head back."

"Any chance you can get it from 'Dogweed and Deathcap'?" She asked. He thought about it. The herbology shop could sometimes stock unusual things, but he thought it unlikely.

"Probably not, I'll just have to come out for another hike." He said as he looked in the jar.

"Would you object if I came too?" She asked slyly as she stepped up to him. He put the jar down and focused on her.

"You mean you didn't get enough earlier?" He asked with a wink.

"Well, it occurred to me that I haven't yet returned the favour" He looked down demurely, and Neville noticed that she still hadn't put her shirt on. Her black bralette hugged her thin frame and showed her chest off to perfection. He smiled down at her as he leant in for a kiss. He had been right. She was the perfect height.

"I hadn't noticed." He said with a smirk as she looked down at the growing bulge in his trousers. He blushed in embarrassment as she looked up with a smile.

"We had better get back, but I'll see what I can do to help you out with that later."

"Sounds intriguing," He said as he grabbed his now dry shirt.

"Oh, If Hannah or Stephen do anything else to you or your clothes, I want to know about it!" She huffed sternly. "As your girlfriend, I have a right to know and go bat shit crazy at anyone that messes with me and mine."

"Girlfriend? Do I get a say in this?" Neville asked smirking again. He found it incredibly endearing at how possessive she was being.

"Of course, but if you say anything other than yes, I will be forced to hex you." She said with a smile and a shrug.

"I had better ask you out then." He nodded with mock seriousness.

"You had better."

"Pansy?"

She smiled up at him and nodded.

"Can you pass me my bag please?" He asked bearly containing his chuckle. Her face fell into a pout before she grabbed his bag. "And would you be my girlfriend?"

"I'll have to think about it, Longbottom." She smirked back as she grabbed her shirt and slipped it on.

"I wonder whether Daisy-"

"Of course, Neville. Don't ruin the moment!" She almost shouted with a chuckle. "I'll have to remember that you play dirty!" She said as she tied the shirt across her stomach.

"Only with you." He smiled as he held out his hand. She grinned and took it before they left the waterfall, plant sample in tow.

It was dark by the time they arrived at the castle and the glowing lights from the great hall telling them that dinner was being served.

"I'm starving," Neville said as he rubbed his stomach.

"I am too, but we can't go in there." She hissed.

"Why not?" he asked with a frown.

"Look at me, I look like a drowned rat!"

"But a cute rat!"

"Neville!"

"You are the most beautiful as I've ever seen you, except for once" He grinned

"Charmer!" She smiled "We still can't go in there, we both look thoroughly shagged!"

"You think people will notice?" Neville asked innocently. Pansy stared at him with a raised eyebrow in disbelief.

"Are you telling me that if two students walked in together looking like they'd gone swimming in their clothes, that you wouldn't think they were up to something?"

"Swimming in their clothes, probably." He shrugged.

"Oh, love, you are precious!"

"Come on then, let's go and get changed, and we can go and bother the elves in the kitchens.

"Are you asking me on another date?" Pansy asked, pressing her hand to her chest.

"Maybe think of it as an extended first date?"

"Alright," She nodded as they entered the tower and ascended the stairs.


	16. It Might Wear Off

They managed to creep up to the common room without being seen by anyone. They had to duck behind one of the unicorn statues as a couple of third years walked passed. Neville didn't think he'd laughed as hard with anyone. They giggled as they ran through the corridors, hand in hand.

Standing that the door leading into the common room, they giggled and breathed heavily as they looked at each other. Neville didn't think Pansy had ever been more attractive to him. Her hair was all over the place, and her skin was flushed and pink from the afternoon sun. She wore a broad, natural smile and her eyes twinkled as she looked at him from under her thick, dark eyelashes.

He felt his heart thud hard in his chest as he admired her. She smiled even wider before looking away. Her hand squeezing his own affectionately.

"Do you reckon there's anyone in there? He asked as he pushed the door open slightly. He peered into the room. There wasn't anyone in the chairs nearest the fire, and it appeared that the study nook was mostly empty. There were too many nooks and corners for people to hide in to be sure.

"Maybe if we go in separately, we'll draw less attention," She replied as she too peered through the crack.

He felt a stab of worry at the suggestion and let his hand loosen. He hated himself for feeling so insecure, but the thought that she didn't want to be seen with him hurt. She glanced up as she felt his hand let go. Her face fell as the realisation hit her. "I didn't mean that I just- It would be nice if it stayed 'just us' for a while before we go public," She smiled and rolled her eyes as she retook his hand. "Come on."

He smiled as she pulled him into the warmth of the eighth year space. They both looked around as they walked quickly to the stairs. They could hear a small group talking from one of the corners, so ran the last few steps to the stairs.

Once up the stairs, they chuckled again, stopping at the portrait hole to the boy's dorms. Pansy looked around him at the picture of the wizened old man with the kind face and smiled.

"Good evening Sir Patrick." She greeted. Neville turned and smiled as the painting nodded in greeting.

"Good evening Ms Parkinson,"

"How is the frame rot? Did they repair you?"

"Yes, Thank you for asking. Reframed and rehomed. One now has time to contemplate the larger picture." He said with a smirk and a wink.

"Sir Patrick the adventurous was once homed in the Slytherin common room, but the lake leaked in, and damaged his frame."

"Awful tragedy." The portrait said dolefully. "We lost a few good friends in that incident." She shook his head. "Mortecina the Merciful and Joseph de Wolesley had been my wall mates for so long."

"I think I saw Joseph on the second-floor corridor near the dark arts classroom.

"You saw Joseph? Mr?"

"Longbottom, Sir"

"Any relation to Ulfric Longbottom?"

"I believe he is a distant relative. Yes, sir,"

"Neville Longbottom?" Neville nodded. The painting studied him, the large feather from his hat swaying in the artist's imaginary wind. "As a Slytherin, I shouldn't condone this however good work with that snake." He nodded seriously and then smiled, his eyes shrinking to creases in his face.

"Thank you, sir," Neville said with a blush.

"Now, Ms Parkinson, Mr Neville, Are we up to any fun activities this evening?" Neville felt his blush increase as Pansy smoothly replied.

"We're just going to get changed and then we are to dine." She smiled innocently.

"Very well, I will allow you admittance, and then I shall be off to find Joseph. Make it so." He nodded and then the portrait swung open.

They looked at each other a giggled. "I need to shower, so I'll probably be half an hour. Is that alright?" Neville asked as he pushed he touched one of the stray strands of Pansy's unruly hair.

She smiled and raised an eyebrow. "I need to shower too, but I'll try and be ready. We could just save time and shower together.

He grinned at the idea but shook his head. "I'd get jealous of the guys trying to glimpse under your towel. And I'm not sure I'd feel much safer upstairs."

She bobbed her head thoughtfully as if trying to think of a counter-argument.

"I guess you're right. See you in half an hour, here."

He nodded and blushed when she leant forward and placed a kiss on his cheek. She pulled away and winked before ascending the stairs. She watched him as he watched her. She smirked, and tugged her skirt, flashing the lacy top of her stocking.

He grinned as he admired the view. She quirked an eyebrow before giggling and running out of sight.

Neville felt his heart thud in his chest as he pushed into the boy's dorms. He was happy to notice that it was mostly deserted, Blaise was in his bed reading and looked up when he stepped in. He nodded cordially before returning his eyes to his book. Neville returned the nod before heading to his bed and closet.

Now that he was away from her, he stood looking at the bed. His new robes had arrived from Madam Malkins along with the other items he'd requested. The memories of that morning returned, and he crashed down onto the edge. With everything that had happened, it felt like months ago. He shook himself as he thought of Pansy.

He smiled as he put away his things and cast a locking charm on his wardrobe and chest. He cast a few other charms, mostly boobie traps to stop any tampering. Once satisfied, he grabbed his towel and left for the bathroom.

The water ran down his soapy body as he squeezed his eyes closed. His mouth parted involuntarily as his slick hand slid up and down his cock in expert strokes. He brought him to the edge only to slow down again. He thought of the rise and fall of her chest as she had come for him. He neck and chest blushing as she pulled his hair and reached out blindly to grab something to hold onto as she fell off the edge. His dick twitched when he remembered her, clutching him as she twitched around his fingers.

He started to speed up again as he thought of her nipple under his tongue and the smell of her lust in his nostrils. The image of her bucking against his hand tightened his balls as he fell. He panted heavily as he savoured the feeling of relief as he spilt himself into the running water of the shower.

He cleaned himself down and swilled the shampoo out of his hair before stepping out and reaching for a towel. He wiped his face and then proceeded to dry off all over. He sighed in relief when he felt dry.

He turned to the mirror and grabbed his wand before casting a drying spell at his hair. It was then that he noticed it. He put his wand down and stepped closer to the mirror. He felt surprise and panic as he looked at his hair.

He moved his head as the greens and purples vied for attention as his hair caught the light. This couldn't be happening. He grabbed his towel and wrapped it around his waist before leaving the bathroom and heading to his bed. He didn't notice whether Blaise was still there as he kept his gaze down.

He closed his eyes and tried to grab the reigns of his panic. If he got dressed first, he could then think clearly about his hair.

He opened his wardrobe after disarming the doors and pulled out his new clothes. He was dressed in a flash bearly taking notice of how the new trousers and shirt fit. He accioed his shoes and then proceeded to pace.

He caught a glimpse of his hair again in a mirror as he passed. He stepped closer and tugged at it. What was he going to do? He heard a knock on the door and whirled around. Blaise stood in the doorway as his eyes took in his hair. His face looked horrified as he took in the colours.

"Parkinson is here to see you."

He swore under his breath and nodded as he turned away. What was he going to do? He didn't want her to see him like this. He turned to his wardrobe and began to dig, he thought he had a hat somewhere that he might be able to get away with wearing.

His eyes clapped sight on it as he heard footsteps. He grabbed it with a cringe, knowing that Pansy would see through it as soon as she saw it. He pulled it on and turned around as she approached the doorway. A vision of beauty in a shoulderless green jumper and black, corduroy skirt.

He saw her eyes glance up at the hat before her eyes darted away and to the room.

"So, this is the boy's dorm." She said as she walked in and looked around. "It looks just like the girls. Different colours though." She said as she pulled at the teal coloured curtains around Terry's bed.

He swallowed nervously as he watched her walk around the room, slowly taking everything in.

She stepped closer to his bed and touched the purple fabric. "Is this your bed?" She asked innocently enough, but the sly glance she shot his way belied her intention. He nodded as she sat down on the edge of the bed.

She bounced on it and looked around before nodding in approval. "It's nice, feels more comfortable than mine," She looked at him and patted the bed next to her. He stood for a moment before rubbing his hands on his new trousers. He swallowed again as he sat down.

Her warm thigh pressed against his own as she took his hand. She held it for a moment before he looked at her.

"I love your shirt, is it new?" He looked down at the plaid as if he'd never seen it before. He nodded.

"Yeah, it was delivered today." He tried to smile as he felt the sweat bead up on the back of his neck, he reached up to scratch as he avoided her eye.

"I'm going to be brutally honest with you, Neville. I think you should lose the hideous hat."

He shook his head.

"N-no, I erm, like the hat." He stuttered.

"Honesty amongst – well, you know." She smirked. "What's under the hat that you don't want me to see?"

He opened his mouth to argue but closed it again. He sighed as he pulled the hat off his green and purple hair.

"Oh, Neville." She exclaimed as she ran her fingers through it.

"It looks awful, doesn't it?" He asked nervously. He turned to her with a grimace and waited for her reaction. Slowly she shook her head.

"I love it. Green's a favourite, obviously! But purple… I adore purple." She ran her fingers threw it again. "I love it. How did you do it?" She asked.

"I think someone tampered with my shampoo." He watched as her face went from amazed to annoyed.

"You didn't do this on purpose?" She asked, her voice sharp.

"N-no." He replied nervously.

"Who?" She stopped playing with his hair and gripped it gently, making him look her in the face.

"I don't know." He shrugged. "I can guess, but I didn't see them."

She was quiet for a moment as she looked away. Neville held his breath as he waited. He always hated it when Hannah went quiet because it usually meant that he was going to get scolded.

Finally, she turned to him, a determined smile on her face.

"I have an idea, but you have to agree." He nodded as he let out his breath. It occurred to him that he really needed to stop comparing Pansy to Hannah. He obviously didn't know the first clue about women.

"What in Salazar's name have you done, Pans? Your parents are going to kill you, come Christmas!" Blaise cursed as his eyes fixed on Pansy's hair.

Neville watched in wonder as Pansy stood topless in a towel as she dried her multicoloured hair.

He watched as the colours folded and glittered between the strands. She threw the towel at Blaise as he stood in the doorway on the boy's bathroom.

"My parents can fuck off." She said, "wasn't my fault that someone tampered with my bottle of shampoo." She said with a wink. She pointed her wand at her hair and cast a drying charm. Neville couldn't tear her eyes away from the stunning colours as she pulled his comb through her hair.

"Longbottom, How can you let her do this?" Blaise shook his head again. "Her parents will not approve."

Neville shook his head in helplessness before speaking.

"There's still weeks before Christmas, maybe it will fade or wear off?" Blaise didn't look amused as he leant against the wall.

"Now, If anyone asks, you saw us leave the shower together," Pansy confirmed as she pointed at the former Slytherin wizard. He rolled his eyes and nodded.

"Which isn't a lie exactly is it?"

"Feel free to embellish on the details, but the important thing is, we were sickeningly happy and naked."

"Pansy," Neville protested.

"Pans, please, you're like my sister, My younger and more delinquent sister!"

"Make it convincing in any way you can." She turned to Neville and pointed at him. "We need to start being sneaky ourselves. If you show them that their pranks don't bother you, they should grow bored."

"Or escalate." Blaise chimed in sounding bored.

"Quiet, Blaise! If you're not going to be helpful, Fuck off."

"Last time I checked, this was the Men's bathroom! Fuck off yourself, Pans!"

"Fine! Come on, Neville."

Neville nodded as he took her offered hand and left Blaise in peace. He watched, captivated as her former black hair now glittered in the candlelight. She looked stunning. Once back at his bed, she turned and looked at him.

"What do you think? This will be a nonverbal announcement that we've been together. Are you alright with that?"

Neville looked down at her and pushed his fingers into her ruffled hair. He saw under her smooth and cultured features, her vulnerability peeking through.

"I love it." He pulled her in for a kiss as they pulled each other in for a kiss, forgetting the world around them momentarily.


	17. Slytherin Cunning

"What on earth?" A voice announced from the doorway. Neville looked up before looking back to Pansy. She smirked as she tried to cover her self more with the towel. He pulled her behind him as he turned back to the door.

"Erm, Hi," Neville said awkwardly as he smiled at Terry.

"Nev?" Terry questioned as he slowly stepped in, the surprise and confusion screwing up his features. "What's with- What?" he asked, seemingly unable to get his questions out.

"Someone tampered with my shampoo." He replied honestly. Pansy had told him not to elaborate on anything else unless he had to. The idea was to start the rumour mill in his favour.

"Shampoo, then why-?" Terry's dark eyes widened in understanding as he peered around Neville to look at Pansy.

"Terry, any chance you could give us a minute?" Neville cocked his head to where Pansy hid behind him.

"Oh, OH! Sorry, yeah, of course. Sorry." He stuttered as he backed out of the room and shut it behind him.

Pansy started to giggle as Neville sighed and turned around to her. Neville found it hard not to grin at her as she stood in her skirt and bralette, biting her lip as she gazed up at him. He groaned as and thanked the gods that he had relieved himself in the shower.

"You might want to get dressed, I'm not sure what will happen if anyone else comes in and sees you like this,"

"Ooh, I think I like this jealous, possessive Neville." She chuckled as she stood on tiptoe and pressed her lips to his, before turning to grab her jumper from his bed. "Now come on, I'm famished!" She pulled her jumper over her head and straightened her clothes and hair before approaching him again. "Now if they've all just come back from dinner we walk through and avoid eye contact, understand? We need to make it look like we've been caught red-handed." Neville nodded and held her hand as she turned the door handle and pulled him out into the next room.

Neville kept his eyes down at knee level as they passed through the dorm. There were a few more guys around now than there had been, Theo was back as had Roger and Wayne he could feel their eyes on them as they left through the portrait hole. Pansy looked at him and smiled tightly, and he replied with an answering smile.

He squeezed her hand affectionately as they began their descent towards the common room. Pansy stopped and grinned.

"You go first, I think Stephen and Hannah are down there, I can hear him laughing. I have another idea."

Neville frowned, but she squeezed his hand before letting him go. "Trust me,"

He nodded as he slowly descended. Now that she mentioned it, he could hear Stephen Cornfoots laugh too.

He stepped off the bottom step and waited for Pansy to follow, his eyes looking away from where Stephen's voice had come from. He prayed that they didn't notice him as he waited but knew the moment he'd been spotted.

"Hey Shortcock, Love the hair!" Stephen shouted as others in the common room turned.

"He's like a unicorn without the horn." Oliver Rivers piped in. He heard Hannah giggle, and he turned around to look at them.

"New clothes? What happened to your old ones?" Hannah asked before they erupted with laughter. "You really ought to be more careful with your things!" Neville hated seeing the twisted grin on her face. She looked so cruel. He opened his mouth to say something when Pansy descended.

"Hey, Longbottom! I should never have listened to you. When do you think this will wear off? My parents will go berserk if I return looking like this?"

Pansy was trying to do up her skirt as she stepped next to him, seemingly unaware of the three bullies. Neville glanced at the threesome and noticed that they watched in shock, not a smile between them.

"Nev? What happened to her hair?" Hannah asked acidly.

"Someone tampered with his shampoo. I assume they weren't betting on Neville sharing it, I'm just hoping it'll fade by Christmas!" Pansy said in innocent frustration.

"Nev?" Hannah asked as she half rose from her chair. "Why did she use your shampoo?"

"You expect us to believe Shortcock here got you to join him in the shower?" Stephan asked, ignoring Hannah's worried tone. Pansy shrugged nonchalantly.

"Believe what you want, Cornfoot. A true lady doesn't kiss and tell!" she smirked as Neville stood nervously glancing between the three bullies and Pansy. She placed a hand on his neck, drawing his eye.

"Are you ready?" She asked. Neville swallowed and nodded his eyes still on hers. She tiptoed and kissed him softly placing her hand to his face. The feel of her lips on his threw him mentally off-balance. He ran his hand around her waist, pushing his thumb under the fabric of her jumper to brush her warm skin. Pulling her against him just enough that he knew he wanted more. She smiled against the kiss, and he pulled away.

She stepped back slightly and smiled warmly.

"Come on, Love," he muttered with a smile as he guided her gently away. She beamed at him and off they went without glancing back.

"Nev?" They heard Hannah call, but they ignored her as they pushed through the door leading down. As the door shut, they stopped and looked at each other.

"Did you see the look on their faces?" Pansy asked. "Did you hear Hannah?" Neville nodded, but his mind was already on her and her hot skin and cosmic purple hair. She looked as free and wild as he always thought she was. "I think Hannah was about to have kittens."

"Let's not talk about them any more. If this is supposed to be a date, let's do it properly." Neville smiled. Pansy grinned and nodded.

"No talking about exes on dates. Rule number one."

"There are rules?" Neville asked with a chuckle as she pulled him off balance.

"Of course, there are rules. Merlin Neville! Are you a pureblood or not?" She asked as she draped his arm around her shoulder.

"Gran never really followed the old ways." He said with a smile as he pulled her head towards him to kiss.

"You're lucky then. I remember growing up, I spent almost all day, every day, training how to be a good, pureblood wife. Table etiquette, how to hold a polite conversation, how to dress, you name it there was some ritual or reason. to it."

"Good to know."

"Don't count on it. I've spent most of my teenage years thus far, trying to forget it all."

He laughed at that, and she smiled.

"I wonder whether they house-elves still have leftovers? I hate the idea of getting them to cook again."

"Did you have house-elves at home?" She asked. He shook his head

"Gran didn't like them. She always said that they always looked too much like mice for her liking. And she was petrified of the things!"

"I'd love to meet your gran, she sounds funny. I dislike mice too," Neville shook her head.

"I'm not sure whether I would want you to meet." Pansy stopped causing Neville to stop. "What's wrong?"

"You wouldn't want me to meet your grandmother?" Pansy asked sharply. "And why is that?"

"Because I wouldn't know who I'd need to protect when the fight broke out." She smirked and tapped him on the shoulder before they continued to walk.

Before long they were at the portrait of the bowl of fruit. Neville reached out and tickled the pear causing the painting to swing open.

Delicious smells emanated from the entrance as Neville waited for Pansy to go through first. Neville thought he could smell beef and hoped there would be enough for a sandwich at least.

The room was warm, and despite dinner service being finished, there was still lots of activity. Small figures wandered between the miniature worktops and the ovens.

Pansy stilled as she looked at one of the nearest elves.

"Are you alright?" He asked as he placed a hand on the small of her back. She nodded with a grimace.

"I really wish you hadn't told me about them resembling mice. I've not liked rodents since Weasley's rat got into my school bag and bit me."

"Scabbers bit you?" Neville asked, surprised. Pansy nodded. "Well they're not rodents, and they won't bite." He pulled her to his side and smiled as she nodded nervously.

"You'll protect me?" She asked with a smirk.

"Of course, I will." He whispered before stepping passed her and kneeling down to the nearest elf.

"Hi Dooney," He smiled as he recognised the elf. He had to admit that if his gran had seen Dooney, she'd have fainted on the spot. The elf's long grey nose drooped forwards with small nostrils at the end. Her long pointed ears stuck up into the air as her large glassy eyes regarded him warmly.

"Master Neville, it is good to be seeing you. How can Dooney help?"

"We missed dinner and were wondering whether you had any leftovers we could eat?" He asked. The elf jumped with a squeak.

"Hungry students? No, that's not allowed. Dooney will feed you! Master and mistress will be seated." Her shrill voice squeaked.

"Are you sure? We wouldn't want to be bothersome." He replied, but Dooney had already started to push his off.

"Master and Mistress with sit here!" Neville pushed himself up in one swift motion until he was towering over the small elf again. She took his hand and pulled him towards one of the long tables and sat him down.

"Mistress may sit here." She offered without taking Pansy's hand. Nevill could see the look of relief on her face when the elf didn't try to touch her.

"Thank you." She said as she sat down, tucking her shirt underneath her. Neville watched as the firelight glinted and glittered off her hair. She turned and looked at him before blushing and looking away.

"I really do love your hair, I mean it was brilliant before, but now it's magical. And I love that you did it for me," He blushed as he looked away too. He didn't think anyone had done something so reckless for him before and knowing how her parents could react made it even more special.

"I love yours too, did I mention how much I love the colour purple?"

"You did." He smiled as he felt her foot stroke his shin under the table.

"So, what lessons do you have tomorrow?" She asked as she leant her chin on her hand, watching him.

"I just have Potions and Transfiguration with you. Otherwise, I'm free tomorrow."

"So you have a free period first thing?" She asked with a smile. He nodded

"I could always skip Alchemy, and we could do something together."

"We could, but you're not going to be able to cure dragon pox if you don't go to the lessons." He winked and smiled.

"Come on, That chance of me curing dragon pox is slim."

"It'll be even slimmer if you don't go. Come on, we'll have two lessons together, and we'll have lunch too."

"I can tell you spend too much time with Granger." She smirked as she rolled her eyes.

Neville was about to respond when drinks and food appeared on the table in front of them. His eyes bulged as his stomach growled.

Roast beef and Yorkshire puddings were scattered around the table with vegetables and potatoes. What looked like a tomato soup sat in a bowl with a ladle waiting to be used.

Closer to Pansy salad was piled high in a bowl as was a plate full of brightly coloured cooked vegetables. They looked at each other a smiled as goblets of liquid appeared.

"So, what's your favourite colour?" She asked with a smile as she picked up some of the vegetables and put them onto her plate.

"Green," He smirked before pushing some beef into his mouth. The gravy was the best.

"Well that's convenient" she smirked. "And what's your favourite book?"

He took a swig of his elderflower cordial and grinned as he placed the cup back down.

"War of the flowers, it's by a muggle writer, I think you would enjoy it. What about you?"

"This goes no further." She warned with a point as she looked around them conspiratorially "I don't have a favourite, but I adore Jane Austen. If my parents ever found out, they would burn my bookcase."

"Jane Austen? Why? Because she was a muggle?" She rolled her eyes and nodded before eating some more.

"Mother and Father are still very much of the mindset that Muggles are inferior and dangerous." She shook her head.

"At least I'm a pureblood," Neville smirked.

"You're a Longbottom, though. Longbottoms and Weasley's are blood traitors," she tilted her head as she thought for a moment. "I'm not actually sure what they would do if they found out about you."

"I never, for one moment thought I would be the boyfriend you were afraid to take home." He laughed at the thought, ignoring the twinge of unease niggling at the back of his mind.

"So, You're never meeting my parents, and I'll never meet your Gran, sounds fair."

Neville nodded, it did indeed sound fair. He wasn't sure what his Gran would make of the grey-eyed girl in front of him.

"So, favourite food and most hated?" Neville asked as he wiped up some gravy with some Yorkshire pudding and ushed it into his mouth.

"Favourite food, sweet or savoury?" She asked.

"Does it matter?"

"I am not picking just one type of food!" she warned as she pointed her fork at him.

He rolled his eyes and smirked.

"Alright, alright, favourite sweet and favourite savoury, and then least favourite."

"Ok, Savoury would be Ratatouille," She pointed at the food she was eating before she continued "and sweet would be cherries and dark chocolate. Least favourite would be anything with meat and peanut butter." She pulled a face.

"Meat?"

"I'm a vegetarian," she shrugged. He paused for a moment and looked at his own food.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know."

"I'm alright with other people eating it, I just can't stomach it." She smiled. "What about you?"

He thought for a moment as he took another swig of his drink. He laughed and looked down at his plate.

"Probably what I'm eating now, or toad in the hole, anything with gravy." He laughed. She smiled and shook her head before putting her own glass to her lips. "Sweet would probably be carrot cake. I can't stand Liver and onions, and I'm not a big fan of banana flavoured things."

She nodded in agreement

"I'm not a big fan of banana either." They both smiled as they continued to eat.

Before long, they were both finished, and their plates were empty. The elves around them continued to scurry around them. Sometimes he caught her eyes following them around if they passed too close.

"Come on, if you're finished." He smiled as he offered his hand.

"Are you finished?" She asked as she wiped at her mouth with her napkin. He nodded and held out his hand to her, she smiled and took it.

"Have master and mistress eaten enough?" Asked Dooney as she stepped closer. Neville turned and smiled down to the little elf.

"Thank you, Dooney. It was wonderful, as usual."

"Thank you," Pansy said with a weak smile as he led her to the portrait hole again.

"You're so brave." He muttered with a smirk as they passed out into the hallway.

"Oh, Shut up!" She smirked. "So, what now?"

"I guess we head back."

"Actually, I have a plan." She said as she looked down coyly.

"Yeah?" Neville asked. He was just about to ask for more details when they both heard a cat's meow behind them.

"Students out of bed, my sweet?" Came filches chuntering growl from around the corner.

"Shit, Come on! Quick!" Pansy swore as she pulled him with her in the opposite direction of Mrs Norris.


	18. Behind the Tapestries

They laughed as they began to slow, breathing hard as they looked down the corridor behind them.

"You know, we are actually adults, I'm not sure we would have been in trouble."

"Did you really want to spend three hours in Filches office while he tried to prove that we were actually misbehaving fourth years with an ageing potion?" Pansy asked with a quirk of her eyebrow.

"Good point." He nodded as he held his side.

"I'm so unfit." Pansy panted.

"I know that feeling,"

"I beg to differ, you don't get abs like that from sitting and overeating." She laughed as she held her own waist.

"No, it's from heavy lifting and gardening over the summer. I had to do my Gran's garden as well as helping out to fix the grounds here" He wipes the sweat from his brow as he took in a deep breath "It was hard work, but it didn't include running."

"Are you telling me that planting a few bulbs and laying some turf gave you that body?" Pansy asked incredulously as she stepped closer,

"You say the nicest things." He smirked as he pulled her in for a kiss. He felt her kiss in every nerve and muscles as he shivered. He felt a stirring in his groin as they parted. "Now, where are we? I wasn't paying attention."

"We're by Transfiguration and North tower." She said against his lips. "Right where I want us to be." She pulled away and quirked her eyebrow before stepping away from him.

"Oh?" Neville asked a thrill of excitement coursing through his veins. Pansy nodded as she bit he lip and started to back away from him. She took his hand and slowly led him down one of the offshoot corridors.

He looked around as he tried to get his bearings. Paintings and tapestries covered the walls as she led him on. They stopped at a particular curtain and Pansy smirked. Neville looked at her, feeling confused. The tapestry was a strange one, like many in the castle. This one's subject was a hare playing the violin. He didn't think he'd ever seen it before, not that he noticed most of the portraits either as he moved about the castle.

"Interesting," Pansy smirked again "You don't recognise this tapestry?" She asked as she stepped close.

"No, should I?"

"Maybe, maybe not, I thought it was well known amongst the students but apparently not,"

"Why is it so well known?" He asked as he stared at it. The hare didn't move nor did music escape from the stitches. For all intents and purposes, it may as well have been muggle.

"It's not the tapestry itself," She laughed as she kissed the back of his hand. "It's what's behind it."

Neville's eyes widened as she lifted the bottom to expose a secret room.

He pushed inside and looked around. Room may have been an exaggeration as it was bearly large enough for them both to be in there, it was more like a hidden nook with a small bench and ledge. "I think muggles call them priest holes. Where they used to hide people who were being hunted." Pansy said as she pushed in behind him.

"Cool," He said as he looked around. With the tapestry down behind them, it was almost black. He sat on the ledge and reached for Pansy, drawing her in for a kiss. Her hips bumped the inside of his thighs as he ran his fingers through her hair. He heard her moan into his mouth before pulling away breathlessly.

"So you've never been in here before?" He shook his head. Now that they were alone, he didn't want to talk any more.

"How do you know about this place." He asked, despite his growing need for her. She swished her wand silently before shoving it back into her skirt pocket. He wondered whether she'd cast an undetectable extension charm on them before his mind drifted back to her.

"Tell you later." She said dismissively as she pulled him back in for a kiss. Her lips felt hot against his own as she pushed her hands into his hand and tugged. He growled unexpectedly, not realising how much he enjoyed it. She smiled against his mouth before her tongue ran across his lip. He pushed forward to claim her tongue, and she moaned in response. His hands cupped her waist as he pulled her closer. He slipped his fingers under her jumper to touch the heated skin beneath. She moaned again, encouraged h slid his hand further until he was cupping her breasts. She shuddered as he ran his thumbs simultaneously over each hardening nub.

He felt his cock twitch in response, and she pressed her hip against him knowingly. He groaned again as his cock throbbed as it grew from the attention.

She sank her teeth into his lip, gently pulling on it slightly before crashing her lips against him again.

Neville started to circle the dark circles over her bralette, milking the sounds that fell from her mouth. Merlin, he loved those noises. She took in a deep and shuddering breath before pulling away from him. She smiled the outline of her face only just visible in the poor light. He could see her eyes looking at him as if looking for permission. That's not what we're here for." She breathed as her nails ran over the bulge in his trousers. A thrill of anticipation rushed up his spine and through his cock as he moaned. She smiled and began to undo his belt buckle.

Oh, he had been waiting for this. He closed his eyes as she started to pop the buttons of his fly.

"You don't have to do this." He choked out as she pushed her hand in to stroke the cotton of his briefs.

"I know, but I want to." She replied sultrily "Now, stand up so we can get rid of these muggle trousers.

Neville laughed as he lifted off the ledge so that his jeans could be removed. Pansy pulled them down slowly until they were by his ankles. He watched her and waited. He had never done this before and didn't know what was about to happen.

She kissed him again before dropping to her knees. He felt a sudden rush of shock as he saw her perched so close to his cock. He held his breath as her breath ghosted across the hairs on his thighs. She leant forward and stroked his cock with her nose, and he shuddered. The sensations running through him like electric.

"These must go too." She said huskily as she hooked her fingers into the waistband and pulled. He lifted his hips and let her pull them down his legs too. He cursed as his bare buttocks touched the stone. Pansy laughed before taking his cock into her mouth. It was like the bottom fell out of his world for a moment as the intense, wet heat took him by surprise. He cried out as he gripped the ledge behind him. He hardened fully in seconds filling her mouth as she pulled back.

She started to swirl her tongue around the head, and he threw his head back. It was so much better than he had ever dreamt of. He groaned as she started to move, letting the sensitive skin of his cock slide against the luscious pillows of her lips. He didn't need to watch her, to imagine how her plump lips would look against his skin. He opened his eyes and looked down, watching how her head moved in the dim light. It was like every fantasy he had ever had, he just wished she had worn lipstick. She swirled her tongue around the head against before plunging back down.

His breath caught as her fingers caressed his balls. He cried out again in surprise as the sensation grew behind them. He other hand gripped and stroked his thigh as she moved backwards and forward on him. He reached out wanting to hold onto something as the pleasure grew. Her hand caught his drawing his attention. He looked down into her eyes, visible by the fine slither of light. He knew he was falling for this girl. Falling hard in more ways than one. She blinked up at him as she moved his hand to her hair. The silken strands beneath his fingers felt almost invisible as the throbbing heat built within him.

He tried not to grip her head. He had enough experienced friends to know that was not polite. He fought the urge to thrust as she picked up the speed. He was in heaven.

All too soon, he found himself shuddering against the heat and moaning wantonly into the darkness. His balls tightened as the release met resistance until finally he was coming, pouring out into the decadent fire of Pansy's mouth. He gripped her, not to hold her in place but to hold onto reality. He half expected that once the blinding pleasure subsided, he would find himself alone in his bed. He held onto her for dear life until he could breathe again. His knees shook as he slowly unclenched his fingers. Pansy slowly let his softening cock go before pulling his jeans and boxers back up. With shaky hands, he moved away from the stone and pulled them up.

Pansy stood, and the edge of a smile could be seen on her face. "I'm glad I put up the silencing charms, I didn't know you'd be so vocal."

"Sorry," He blushed as he tried to do up the buttons.

"What did I say about saying sorry? And I liked it!" She pushed his hands out of the way ad did his buttons up for him before running he hands around his waist. "I was nice knowing that you were enjoying what I was doing."

He nodded vigorously as he pulled her close into a hug. He held her tight as he smelled her hair and enjoyed her heat. "mmm a cuddler too, I like that." She chuckled as she breathed in the scent at his neck. He closed his eyes, feeling content and relaxed as her smell filled his nostrils.

"What about you?" He asked, pulling away slightly.

"Don't worry about me, you did a number on me earlier." She laughed. He smiled as he pulled her close for a kiss. They kissed deep and long before they broke apart.

"We'd better head back otherwise the portraits won't let us in," Pansy said as she pushed out into the corridor. "Come on the coast is clear.

Neville stepped shakily out into the candlelight of the hallway as Pansy took his hand. She smiled, and he noticed that some of her pale lipstick had smudges around her face. He felt his cock twitch minutely at the thought of lipstick, but he ignored it as he reached up to wipe it off. She smiled before turning to leave.

A thought crossed his mind as they slowly sauntered back towards Lumos tower. If Hannah had been so upset at the prospect of him being with Pansy, then what would she do to her?"

"Are you going to be alright in the dorms?" He asked suddenly.

"I'll be fine. I have everything warded to the teeth. If they ever so much as look funny at my bed, wardrobe or toiletries, they'll get a horrid little curse I picked up at Borgin and Burkes." She snorted.

"Just be careful, I've seen what she's been capable of, and I would hate for that to fall out onto you."

"I'm a Slytherin, I'm used to it." She said sadly as they arrived at the common room door.

They pushed it open and stepped in. The room seemed deserted as the large clock on the wall stated it was about Ten PM. They wandered towards the dorm steps when they noticed Hannah asleep on one of the sofas. Neville frowned when he saw the tear marks down her face. He paused for a moment before accioing one of the blankets and draping it over her.

"What are you doing?" Pansy whispered as he returned to her side.

"I think it was obvious." He replied with a smirk.

"Not after what she's done to you."

"Even so, I've never wanted to be cruel, and I never wanted to hurt her."

Pansy shook her head and smiled softly.

"Come on, bedtime I've got alchemy in the morning. I've got to be bright-eyed ad bushy-tailed if I'm going to get a head-on that cure."

He smirked and nodded as he followed her up the stairs.


	19. No Flowers Without Rain

Neville blinked against the thin line of light that forced its way through his curtains and smiled. Memories of his date the night before filled his head and his body as he cuddled the warm covers closer, wishing they were Pansy.

He stretched slowly before pushing the curtains out of his way and swung his feet out of bed. The dim light filtered through the windows as he noted that he was one of the first up. He stood up and stretched before grabbing his towel and heading for the showers. He slowly crept through the quiet dorms. It was usually about this time that everyone had managed to sleep regardless of their nightmares. He fought every instinct in his body to not tiptoe past Stephen and Oliver's beds. He clenched his teeth in determination. He refused to be intimidated by the. He'd been in a war and killed a giant snake for merlin's sake. He took a deep and steadying breath before entering into the showers.

He was relieved to see it was empty as he looked at himself in the mirror. His hair was still green and purple like the centre of a nebula. He didn't think it suited him, but it meant that Pansy's hair would still look like the aurora borealis. He smiled as he pushed his fingers through it. He kinda liked it. With a smile and a determined nod, he turned to the shower and stripped off his boxers. He went to step into the shower when he heard someone walk in. He looked up when something caught him around the ankles. He felt the air leave him and the world flash white as his face collided with the floor. He groaned as his face went from numb to throbbing. He tried to push himself up when a foot pushed down on his back.

"Good morning, Shortcock," Stephen snarled as he pressed down on his shoulders. Neville didn't respond as he tried to ignore the throbbing in his cheek and jaw. "I bet you thought it was funny last night, didn't you? Showing off with the Slytherin slut. It certainly threw us. We didn't see it coming." Neville heard the shower turn on as the water started to pool around his mouth. He began to panic, thinking that if it got any deeper, he could drown. "I'm not sure you're cut out for school life, Shortcock. If I were you, I'd consider your career options without your N.E.W.T's" His foot lifted from Nevilles back. Neville took a deep breath as he lifted his head from the tiles. "Maybe train as a clown, Have a good morning." He said cheerfully as he left the room. Neville groaned as he pushed himself up, feeling his face already begin to swell and throb. He touched it gently and whimpered slightly as he stepped into the shower. The water seemed to make the pain worse as he tried to get clean. He didn't want to be naked and at the mercy of Stephen again. He rinsed off and stepped out, determined to get somewhere safe.

He held his towel as though his life depended on it as he walked through the dorms. He locked eyes with Theo and Blaise before looking away quickly. Once back near his bed, he started to relax. He unlocked the wards on his wardrobe and changed into his clothes quickly before retreating to the common room. He went to get coffee from the kitchenette, passing a screwed up blanket from where he'd covered Hannah the night before. He grabbed one of the large mugs and poured in the coffee before adding a generous amount of milk. He sniffed the warm liquid as he took over the window seat.

He could barely make out the quidditch pitch through the low cloud as the rain pelted the windows. He watched the vivid green and grey landscape through a kaleidoscope of colour as the droplets distorted his view. His mind wandered as he stared into the distance. He wondered whether Stephen was right, he didn't know whether he could last much longer with the bullying. He winced as his cheek throbbed. He contemplated about pressing it to the window pane when a hand caught his knee. He turned with a flinch, expecting Stephen to be standing there.

Grey eyes met his with a warm smile, and he relaxed. Her mouth moved to form words before her eyes glanced to his face. Her smile dropped

"Salazar, what happened to you?" She asked as she gently tried to turn his face.

"It's nothing, I fell in the shower." He shrugged as he held her hand. "It's nothing."

"Don't lie to me, Neville. You're shit at it!" She said through clenched teeth. "I am going to go and get coffee, and we are going to sit here and talk." Neville felt his mouth dry up as she walked away, her robes floating behind her. He closed his eyes as he leant his head against the window. He didn't want to have this conversation. He didn't want her to know how weak he was. He also didn't want to lie to her and make her angry.

The thought of making her angry scared him to most. He didn't want to lose her. He swallowed the ash that had been coffee as he waited for her to join him. He took a deep breath and wondered whether there was anything he could say to distract her, but his mind went blank.

He felt the cushions sink down in front of him as he opened his eyes. Her hair was as beautifully vivid as it had been the night before, but now the daylight drew the metallic tones through. She looked annoyed as she sipped on her coffee. She swallowed her first mouthful before looking at his face.

"If you want to break things off. I- I understand." He said as he closed his eyes again and rested his face against the pane of glass. Her anger made him uncomfortable, like biting ants up his arms. He couldn't take it. He didn't want to lose her, but if she were going to finish with him because he lied, he understood.

"Break things off?" He heard her voice break slightly, he opened his eyes and looked at her shocked face, gone was the anger. Her freckles seemed more pronounced against her pale skin as she studied his face. "Do you want to break things off?" She asked quietly. He saw her hands shake slightly as she wrapped them tightly around her mug.

He shook his head. It was the last thing he wanted to do. "Then why did you say that?" She asked, her face looking crestfallen.

Neville sat up straighter as he stared into the mug as though looking for answers.

"Of course, I don't." He reached his hand out to touch hers. "I just thought- thought that you were angry with me." He felt his insides squirm with awkwardness as he explained himself. "Why would you be with someone that lies and makes you angry?"

"Neville, you don't dump someone just because you're angry with them, and I wasn't angry at you."

"Oh," he replied shyly.

She squeezed his hand before taking a sip of her coffee. She looked down at the black liquid before looking up at him.

"And I know that you're not a liar, you're just covering for someone. I know that you didn't fall in the shower, "

He looked out the window and sighed.

"Can we not talk about it now. Am I ok to ask for a hug instead?" He asked as he looked back to her hopefully. She smiled and sighed before putting her mug down. She turned around and leant against his chest, pulling his one arm over her chest. She looked up at him and smiled as he sipped his coffee and smelt her hair.

"You really should talk about it with someone Neville" She advised as she kissed his palm. He nodded as he rested his head against her hair and breathed in the scent of cherries and violets. "Bottling it all up doesn't help, it builds until it explodes out."

He pulled her closer to him and shut his eyes momentarily. She felt so good in his arms, and he wanted to savour her warmth and softness. He opened his eyes and looked out of the window as the rain hammered against the window.

"I remember when things were really bad, last summer sometime," She murmured, her voice vibrating against his chest. "I used to sit in our conservatory at home and just listen to the rain. I felt so alone. I could see that the world was falling around my feet but, I wasn't able to say anything, I've never felt so alone," she confided in barely a whisper. He nodded again feeling her hair against his stubble. He'd meant to shave in the shower. The throbbing in his cheek seemed to calm slightly as they just sat, enjoying each others company.

"You can't get the flowers without the rain," he replied just as quietly so only she could hear him. She nodded gently as she snuggled in more closely. Despite the pulsating pain in the left side of his face, he felt at his most peaceful and content. They were silent for a while longer before Pansy moved. She turned and kneeled in front of him, a small smirk passing her face as she glanced at him.

"I enjoyed yesterday," She murmured to him as she gently turned his face again.

"So did I," he smiled, feeling the skin tightening where the swelling had blown up. She leant closer as she examined his face.

"Does it hurt? It looks like it should." He nodded against her fingers as they tenderly held his chin. "You should go to the hospital wing, see Madam Pomfrey."

"Neville? What happened to your face? and your hair?" Hermione cried as she placed her books down on the nearby coffee table


	20. Hot, Little, Humble Pie

Hermione stood slack-jawed as she gazed at his face and then between the two of them, her face turning thoughtful. Neville tried to focus on her as Pansy gently felt his skin. He hissed when the pressure of one of her fingers became too much, sending shooting pains through his cheekbone. She jumped back with a squeak.

"Shit, sorry Hunny," she muttered as she released him. She glanced at Hermione for a moment before moving away to sit facing him. Neville felt the loss of her heat and touch almost like a physical blow. Hermione scowled and tapped her foot as she waited for an answer.

"What in god's name happened?"

Neville took a deep breath before catching Pansy's eye. She shrugged unhelpfully.

"Are you going to tell her what really happened or should I tell her what I think happened?" Pansy asked with a quirked eyebrow.

"I fell in the shower," He muttered as he avoided their gaze, he heard someone snicker and looked around. Stephen and Oliver were looking over as they left the common room, erupting in laughter before the door closed. Hannah followed behind, her face looking downcast as she quietly followed.

"It was them, wasn't it?" Hermione asked as her gaze followed after them. "They're bullying you, because of her?"

He felt shame as he returned to looking out of the window, ignoring Hermione's question.

"Neville," Pansy said softly as she placed her hand on his knee. "If you won't speak to us, please at least speak to one of the teachers. What about Sprout?" Neville snorted at the thought. Sprout would probably tell him, in her usual, brusque manner, to be a man and grow a pair and teach the bully who's boss.

"What about McGonagall?" Hermione added as she sat on the seat closest to them.

Neville shook his head and immediately regretted it as it seemed to shake the pain to the surface again. He grimaced in pain before answering.

"Just drop it, please. Come on, let's go to breakfast." He said as he swung his legs off. He picked up their cups and left for the kitchenette. He washed them as he tried to ignore the two witches conspiring behind his back. He sighed unhappily as he dried and put the mugs back. He knew he could have used magic, but he needed to do something to keep his hands busy.

He turned around and watched as they both sprang apart as if afraid of being caught. He had to smile as Pansy watched him, concern etching her usually expressionless features. Hermione looked away, guiltily. "Stop plotting you two! You'll only get me into more trouble."

Pansy winked and smiled as he walked closer and took her hand.

"Trouble sounds fun," She muttered as they waited for Hermione to grab her things before leaving to get breakfast.

Neville could feel his anxiety building as they neared the hall, and the smell of food wasn't improving his digestion. He could hear the raucous laughter and the hum of hundreds of conversations chittering at the same time. He ran his hand through his hair and wished he'd stayed in bed.

Pansy pulled his arm to her and hugged it as they walked, drawing a smile from him. She looked up at him as she threaded her fingers between his, interlocking them as they walked. She was so beautiful. Her hair shimmered in teal waves around her pale cheeks as they arrived at the hall door. Neville glanced in, seeing Stephen and Oliver watching him as they walked passed.

"Night face, Shortcock! Almost matches your hair now." Oliver shot as they were still within earshot.

"Unless you want your face to match the strawberry jam, Rivers. I'd keep your comments to yourself." Pansy added sweetly as they reached Ginny and Luna.

"Oooh, you might want to put a lead on that bitch, Shortcock."

Neville stopped. Fury seemed to simmer under his skin. He could take another said to or about him, but no one insulted her. He was about to turn, but Pansy pulled him on. Hermione watched him warily as he sat down opposite the other girls.

"They can say what they like about me, Neville, but don't let that ever draw you into a fight, that's what they want," Pansy said as she released his arm. She gave it an affectionate squeeze before reaching for the crepes.

"She's right." Hermione agreed.

"Hi Neville, Hi Pansy. I love your matching hairstyles," Said Luna warmly.

"Yeah," Ginny added as she looked between them. "but what happened to your face?"

Neville closed his eyes and cursed.

"He fell over in the shower." Pansy and Hermione added simultaneously before Hermione shared a look with Ginny.

"And was the hair intentional?" Ginny asked again. Neville and Pansy looked at each other and smiled.

"Someone tampered with my shampoo," Neville said simply, and Pansy snorted.

"Shampoo?" Ginny pointed to them, in turn, her eyes wide. She was about to say something when Luna interrupted.

"Gin, it's not polite to ask someone if they're fucking, at the breakfast table, at least wait until after Neville's eaten his toast."

Neville was the first to laugh as Pansy joined in and then Hermione and Ginny. The laughter seemed to take some of the awkwardness away as they began to talk. Hermione, Luna and Ginny were immersed in an in-depth discussion about gnome hair when Neville turned to Pansy.

"Do you want coffee?" He asked. Pansy quirked on her perfect eyebrows as she licked some of the chocolate spread from the tip of one long, slender finger. Neville smiled and blushed as she nodded. He turned, catching Ginny's eye before making two cups of coffee. He knew that look, it said 'we need to talk.' He nodded subtly as he handed Pansy her cup.

He breathed in the scent of the coffee. He usually preferred tea but felt like he needed to bitter liquid this morning. He looked down the table and noticed that a few peoples eyes darted away when he caught them staring. It looked as though Pansy's plan was working. He caught Blaise's eye and nodded in greeting. Blaise nodded back before returning to his pastry. Neville was about to return his attention to his toast when he saw Hannah watching them. Her eyes were puffy, and she looked pale. He wondered whether it had anything to do with him and Pansy being together. He looked away as Pansy squeezed his knee under the bench. She leant over to him and whispered into his ear.

"Are you sure you don't want me to skip Alchemy?" She asked before pulling away. Her face was teasing, but there was something in her eyes that made him think that she was only offering him company and support.

"I'm sure. I think I'm one of the only few that have a free period now so I should be safe," He smiled.

"I think your cheekbone may be fractured, you should go and see Pomfrey and get it looked at." She smiled before pushing some of the hair away from his face gently, avoiding his face. "Although I'll be honest, with this new hair, I think the black eye makes you look like such a bad boy."

"She's right, I almost didn't recognise your this morning," Hermione interjected. "Just need you to start acting like it," She said as she glared up the table.

"Maybe I should just drop out of school and get myself a muggle motorbike?" Neville laughed, but even to himself, it sounded forced, especially after what Stephen had said.

"If you do not study as if your life depends on it this year, I will be your own personal Boggart!" She threatened before going back to buttering her crumpets.

"I'm with Granger on this one." Pansy nodded. "You can get a motor thingy if you want to, but if you leave here, you'll leave me alone with them." Pansy smiled as he picked up her mug of coffee and took a sip.

"Running away is rarely the answer," Luna added with her strange variety of insight and Neville blushed.

There was an awkward silence before Hermione picked up the conversation.

"Pansy, how many inches did you write for Alchemy?" She asked.

"About fourteen, I think, and you?" She asked before eating part of the crepe on her fook.

"About the same, maybe a couple more," Hermione said evasively.

"That's 'Hermione' for double that," Ginny chuckled from her scrambled eggs.

Hermione blushed as she bit off some toast, refusing to comment.

"What are you going to do during your free period, Neville?" Luna asked as she pushed around her porridge.

"I still need to finish the conclusion on my transfiguration essay, and I may go and see Madam Pomfrey but other than that…" He paused, but one glance from Hermione made him reconsider his answer. "And I might try and get a headstart on my other assignments."

Hermione smirked as she continued to eat her toast. Pansy squeezed his knee again, drawing his attention.

"It's your last chance, I can still skip."

"No, If Hermione is threatening to become my boggart, I'll become yours."

"Aww, honey, you say that like it's a threat. I happen to love hot, humble pie with ice cream" She winked.

"Humble pie? That sums up Neville!" Ginny snorted as she sipped her coffee.

Neville tried to scowl but found his lips betraying him as he smiled. He hissed again as his cheek throbbed.

Pansy smiled as she gently placed her hand on his face. The warmth seemed to ease the pain somewhat.

"Don't let her touch you, Shortcock! St Mungo's haven't got cures for the diseases she has! Your shorty might drop off," Oliver called from the far end of the table. Neville caught him and Stephen laughing hysterically as he turned back to Pansy. He watched her face drop as a blush rushed into her cheeks. She found him looking and schooled it into a mask of indifference.

"Aww, what's up, boys? Not getting laid?" She called back snarkily before returning to her crepe. He watched as she pushed it around her plate without eating more.

"Just ignore them." She smiled before a screech erupted from the same end. They looked around and watched as large green and grey bubbles erupted from his nose. The bubbles started to shift and change until wings formed. They began to flap, their two wings slapping against their slimy bodies until they gained lift. Once airborne, they proceeded to dive-bomb Oliver as he sat, trying to avoid the slime.

A groan of disgust filled the air as some of the other eighth year girls tried to escape away, squealing as they tried to avoid the bat-bogeys. The hysteria seemed to spread to some of the lower years as the bat-bogeys circled Oliver, divebombing him as he tried to crawl away.

Neville glanced at Ginny, who quickly hid her wand. Neville smiled as he caught her eye. She nodded too as she watched with interest.

Pansy's smirk seemed hollow as she continued to push her crepe around, bearly reacting to the sight.

Oliver went to stand to escape, but as he climbed to his feet, he tripped and fell backwards as the belt in his robes slipped to his ankles. His face turned beetroot red as he fought to pull them up again as he dodged the flying slimeballs.

The hall erupted into laughter as all eyes watched him.. Neville looked around to find Hermione looking down at her breakfast. He narrowed his eyes, and she looked the other way with a small smile forming.

It was almost too good to miss, especially with how much they had tormented him recently, but his eyes well all for Pansy.

Neville could feel the discomfort radiating from her like heat from a flame. He frowned as he touched her hand. She didn't respond immediately, but slowly, she put down her fork and took his hand. Her fingers were cold as they gripped his firmly. He ran his hand around her shoulders and pulled her close. It felt like she had always belonged there. Something had triggered a nerve, and he could only assume it was Oliver's comments. He pulled her closer and lightly kissed her head as he squeezed her hand.

"Are you alright?" He whispered, his mouth close to her ear. Painfully aware of the pain in his face.

"I'm fine." She replied quietly as she leant into him.

"I'm always happy to listen if there's a problem.

"It's just a shame you can't take your own advice, isn't it?" a ghost of a smile appeared on her lips before she shook her head. "Will you walk me to Alchemy?"

"Sure," They were just about to stand up when Professor McGonagall appeared from the head table.

"What is the meaning of this disruption?" She asked curtly, the Scottish lilt coming through strongly as she raised her voice.

No one answered as their eyes were torn between her looming figure as the bouncing bogey that seemed to have glued itself to Oliver's jumper.

"Rivers, Care to explain to me why you seem to have slime growing out of your jumper? The last time I checked, slime was not part of the official uniform,"

"It was Longbottom, He hexed me, Professor."

McGonagall's lips pursed as her eyebrow raised. She turned her head to find him in the crowd, and Neville watched as her eyes skimmed right over him twice before she noticed him. She turned to him and took in his hair and face.

"Longbottom, Is what Mr River's saying true?" She asked as she looked up at him. She still seemed to be able to look down her nose at him even though he had grown taller than her in recent years.

Neville felt dread pool in his stomach as he pushed his hands into his pockets.

"No, Professor," He shook his head as he watched as Stephen and Oliver smirked at him behind her back.

"It wasn't Neville, Professor," Hermione interrupted. "His wand never left his pocket." Neville turned to find almost everyone shaking their heads; including some of the others from further along the table.

"So, Mr River's what makes you think that Longbottom did this to you? It wouldn't have anything to do with the bruise growing on his face?"

The look on Oliver's face showed panic as he realised the implications. He opened his mouth to speak, but she interrupted him by addressing all the present eighth years.

"I'm sure that I don't need to remind you all that Hogwarts has a strict policy against bullying. I am frankly surprised and disappointed that I need to have this conversation with you so soon after the recent events of this past summer."

Pansy took his hand, threading her fingers between his. He squeezes it affectionately as he continued to listen to McGonagall. "Now, I suggest that you all head onto your lessons and think about your actions. Rivers, clean yourself up, I know that Professor Trelawny has a particular aversion to mucus." She turned back to Nevile and Pansy, her eyes sweeping over the pair of them. Neville watched as Stephen shot a look at him. He knew that this wasn't over.

"Have you been to the Hospital wing yet, Longbottom?" She asked as she looked at his face, drawing his attention back to her.

"Not yet, Professor, I was going to go now as I have a free period."

"Very good. I would also like to point out that dyed hair is also against school rules, but I assume that it was one of Weasley's wizard wheezes and won't wash out?" Neville looked at Pansy and who shrugged.

"I assume so, Professor. My shampoo was tampered with."

"So was mine," Pansy added quickly as McGonagall narrowed her eyes at them.

Neville felt the irrational urge to laugh as the rest of the eighth years filtered out of the hall.

"If I were you both, I would start keeping your toiletries under lock and key. Now go and let Poppy look at you." She looked at them both again, her eyes lingering on their joined fingers before turning away in a cloud of robes.

Neville let out a breath and chuckled as he turned to Pansy. She pushed her hair back out of her face and looked at him.

"That was close." She admitted quietly.

"Just a bit." He laughed before hissing.

"Come on, take me to Alchemy, then you can get and get your face looked at."

"Yes, Ma'am!" he nodded. He watched as he managed to draw a small smirk from her as they left the hall.


	21. Alcoholic Aftertaste

"See you in potions?" He said hopefully as he kissed her knuckle. She smiled slightly, and he frowned. "are you sure you're alright?" She'd been off since before the scuffle at breakfast, and he couldn't work out why.

She nodded as she glanced at the floor.

"It's nothing. See you in a couple of hours." Pansy smiled sadly as their fingers slid apart. "Now go and get your handsome face fixed" He watched as she walked off, disappearing through the door.

Neville sighed as he wandered through the corridor towards the hospital wing. He felt like there was a storm cloud looming on the horizon. He thought back over the things he'd done in the past couple of days and couldn't think of anything specific that he had done wrong. He took a deep breath and pushed the green hair out of his face, bearly avoiding a couple of first-years who were running late.

"Sorry," One called back as they carried on running.

"Was that Neville Longbottom?" He heard the other ask as they looked back before disappearing through around the far corner.

He shook his head. He hated how the first years looked at him now; like he was some sort of celebrity. He had never experienced it before the war, but now, he wondered how Harry had managed it all these years. He'd started to notice that even some of the older students watched him in awe when all he wanted to do was disappear back into the shadows. He guessed he could understand some of the kids he'd managed to protect last year being thankful to him, but the others just made him feel creepy and strange.

He turned a corner and found himself outside of the hospital wing. He paused before pushing the doors open. It occurred to him that Hannah could be in there. It had completely slipped his mind that she was being trained up by Madam Pomfrey. The anxiety rose in his throat like acid as he thought about her touching him. He wouldn't be surprised if he came out more injured than he went in.

He stepped to one side as he swallowed. He really didn't feel strong enough to face her. He tried to remember what her lesson plan was. He sighed with relief as he remembered that, between the two of them, he was the only one that had a free period on a Friday morning. He took another steadying breath as he gathered himself and pushed into the hospital wing.

There were a few other students in the beds. What appeared to be a first-year Ravenclaw covered in nasty red welts lay in one. In the other sat a disgruntled looking fifth-year Gryffindor, he vaguely recognised, who had a tongue the size of a feast serving platter. He nodded to the Gryffindor boy who waved back. He smiled weakly at the Ravenclaw girl he walked through towards the office.

He knocked and waited, feeling their eyes on him as he stood staring at the frame of the open door. He waited patiently as he glanced back to the other kids. They looked bored and miserable as they lay there. He could only imagine how dull it would be, to be lying there all day.

"What's the emergency? Ah, Longbottom." Said Madam Pomfrey as she appeared, her grey hair tied back under her usual white cap. "If you're looking for Miss Abbott, I'm afraid she's not here. She'll be in during last period." She said politely before looking at him in the face. Her face flittered between pleasant, shocked, and concerned in the blink of an eye before she took his elbow.

"I'm not here for Hannah, We're not-" he paused, feeling awkward.

"Oh, never mind that. I didn't notice your face before. Tell me what happened to you. If you're here about your hair, I'm afraid there isn't much I can do, it looks like it's a bloody Weasley product."

"No, the hair's fine, It's my face,"

Madam Pomfrey stepped closer, raising her hands to his face and pressing gently as if to feel where the injury lay. He tried not to hiss and squirm as she prodded the most painful point.

"It appears you have a fractured cheekbone. Some Skele-gro will sort that out. Go and sit on the bed," She directed, pointing to the nearest bed. He turned and caught the other patients eyes again before turning his back to them.

Her long burgundy sleeves floated behind her as she rushed off to the potions cabinet. When she returned, she carried the telltale skeleton-shaped bottle, and he cringed at the thought of it. "I'm afraid it will be painful, and the bruising will remain for a few days." She looked him in the eye, her bright blue eyes piercing him. "How did this happen?"

He felt sweat start to build on the back of his neck as he rubbed it away. He didn't want to tell. He didn't want to see the pity.

"I fell in the shower this morning." He explained, hoping that she would take the explanation at face value. She continued to look at him a fraction longer than was comfortable before she nodded and turned to open the Skele-gro. The pewter hourglass on her chest, bouncing as she turned.

He remembered Harry's reaction to it after Lockhart vanished the bones in his forearm. He had his own experience with it last year when a particularly bad beating resulted in several broken bones. The Carrows hadn't pulled their punches, nor had they worried about school furniture. The bookcase he'd been thrown into hadn't lasted the beating.

He cringed as Madam Pomfrey poured out the dose and offered it to him. Her face seemed to soften as he looked at the clear liquid.

"Come now, Mr Longbottom. We both know that you're brave enough to handle the bad taste." She smiled.

He rolled his eyes and held his breath as he knocked it back. It tasted like charcoal and rotten eggs with a hint of cream. He almost gagged as it went down, leaving behind a distinctly alcoholic afterburn that made him shudder.

"There, that wasn't so hard now was it?" She smiled as she took the bottle and glass away again in another flurry of cloth before returning. "Now if you have any problems concentrating in your lessons you have permission to miss them. However, I would suggest trying to endure it, as lying down and resting could cause the would to heal incorrectly." He nodded as he tried to ignore the hideous taste in his mouth.

"If the pain persists past breakfast tomorrow, see me immediately. And try not to slip in the shower again." She smiled as he stood to leave. She followed him as far as the other patients before starting to fuss over the poor Gryffindor. Neville nodded to the student again before he left.

Once outside, his stomach started to churn, threatening to return the dose. He swallowed, there was no way he was going to take that medicine again in a hurry if he could help it. If Stephen, Oliver and Hannah kept up their assault, he might not have a choice. He sauntered towards Lumos tower listening to the rain as it pounded the courtyard. He wasn't sure whether it was his imagination, but his face was starting to throb already.

Back in the common room, he was relieved by how quiet it was. He looked around in all the nooks and cranny's, and he really was alone. Knowing there was no one else I the room eased the tension between his shoulder blades somewhat as he made himself a cup of tea.

He curled up in the window seat again as he watched the rain and tried to forget the intense throbbing in his cheekbone. He closed his eyes as he listened to the pattering of rain on the window. A loud slam jolted him from his reverie as he looked around for the danger. His heart beat rapidly as he watched Pansy storm into the common room. She sniffed loudly as she rushed to the stairs. He watched as she rubbed at her face before she started to climb.

"Pansy?" He called as he swung his legs off to stand. She stopped on the stairs without turning around. "Are you alright?" He asked as he went to join her at the stairs. She nodded without speaking. He watched as she tried to pull herself together before turning around, her fists clenching and unclenching. When she turned around, she looked almost normal. Her face was slightly blotchy, and her eyes were red-rimmed as she smiled at him. He watched as the façade crumbled as she started to cry. She turned around again, covering her face.

He rushed to her in a panic. Fear gripping his soul. He had never seen Pansy cry before, she had always been so collected before; so strong. He reached out and touched her quivering shoulder.

"Don't touch me," She shouted as she stepped away from him. He felt the words sting but refused to be put off. Since the war, there were so many small, insignificant things that could cause someone to break down. His memory flashed back to the incident with his clothes as an example.

"What happened?" He asked nervously. She shook her head in response.

"Please, I might be able to help," He offered as he tried stepping closer. Pansy shook her head again but seemed to resign herself to something. She wiped at her face and turned. Her pale cheeks were even more mottled now, and some of her emerald hair had stuck wetly to her face.

"I think we should break up."


	22. Romeo and Juliet

He blinked as the world tilted off-kilter. He felt his stomach churn with acid as the words bounced around his head. His face throbbed and he could barely swallow. He shook his head and couldn't seem to stop. He couldn't let it happen. He refused.

"No." Was all he could say. He would not believe it. It couldn't be right, his hearing was damaged.

"No?" She asked angrily. "You don't have a say, I said yes." She argued as she stared down at him.

"And I said no." He said stubbornly. He wasn't sure where he was going with the argument, he just knew that he couldn't let her go, not without a fight.

"Tough, Longbottom. We're done," She turned and stormed off towards the dorms. He stood, stunned in place until the sounds of people entering the room behind him forced him into movement. He chased after her, taking the steps two at a time. His pulse hammering the wound in his face.

He grabbed her wrist and turned her around. She had started to cry again.

"I said no," He replied as he stepped close enough to look into her watery grey eyes.

"I know, and I said tough." She replied as she went to pull away.

"Ok, if you can give me a good reason, I'll let you go. But I need a reason. I need to know why you don't want me anymore." He hated the phrase as it left his mouth. It made him sound pitiful and needy. He watched the angry expression on her face change to anguish as she felt against the wall.

She seemed to struggle for words. Female voices started up the stairs and they looked at each other, his panic reflected on her face. "Come on," She nodded as they rushed to the portrait hole to the boy's dorms. He muttered the password and pushed through as Sir Patrick bid them a good day.

The silence in the dorms was deafening as Neville led them to his bed. He didn't want to be having this conversation here, but it was the only place he could think of where they might get a semblance of privacy.

He sat on the edge of his bed and watched as she tentatively stepped into the room. Her tears had stopped but she seemed smaller than she had been, like the fight had left her.

"So?" He asked when the silence lasted for longer than he could bear.

"So," She said, avoiding his gaze.

"What have I done that makes you want to break up?" He asked, relieved that his voice didn't quiver.

"Nothing, it's not you. We would never work. Our families-"

"The whole, two households in fair Verona scenario is bullshit, and you know it!" He argued, surprised with himself at his anger. Pansy seemed just as startled as she looked at him with wide eyes. He stood up and began to pace, the throbbing in his face fueling his annoyance.

"For fuck's sake Pansy." He growled as he cursed the pulsing torment. "We are consenting adults with minds of our own. I'm not asking for your hand in marriage, but even if I were, we wouldn't need our families consent. Not if we really wanted to be together. If you want to use our families as an excuse, then it's bullshit! And you're going to have to do better than that."

Pansy seemed stunned by his passion as she stood and bit her lip, tears seeming to start up again. She looked like a deer in headlights as he continued to pace. "Come on, try again." He said as he leant against the wall with his arms crossed.

"I don't like you." She said as she still avoided his gaze.

"You came on to me. You followed me to the greenhouses. You're the one who has been dressing in stockings to catch my attention."

She looked around the room, and he could only guess that she was looking for reasons to dump him. After an age of waiting she looked at the floor. "You're a bad kisser?" She asked it like a question, so Neville didn't feel hurt. He snorted as he stepped closer to her, slowly as not to startle her.

"Do you mind if I touch you?" He asked. She shook her head but still didn't look at him. He pulled her into a hug and held her tightly. "If I'm such a bad kisser, you must help me improve. It's your duty!" He felt her start to laugh and smiled weakly into her hair. He kissed the top of her head and pulled away slowly to look into her face. He took her face between his palms gently as he gazed into her eyes. "Now are you going to tell me what's really going on?"

She shook her head as she pulled away and sat on his bed, tucking her knees under her chin.

"If it's going to be something that affects us, I'm going to need to know. I don't think I could cope with you threatening to dump me every five minutes." He confessed as he moved and sat next to her. "Please, tell me."

"I have an idea," She muttered into the silence. He looked at her with interest as he met her eyes. "We swap. I'll tell you if you tell me."

"Tell you what?"

She looked at him with a raised eyebrow in disbelief.

"What happened to your clothes? How did you hurt your face? What did Theo help you with? What's really going on?" She explained.

He chuckled as he looked away, running a hand through his hair. He didn't want to go into all the details of that, but he wanted her to be able to trust him. He made the decision. If he wanted her to trust him, he needed to be honest.

"Ok," He said as he let out the breath he was holding.

"Really?" She asked, surprised.

"Really," He nodded as he pushed himself further onto the bed. If he was going to be uncomfortable, he wanted to be comfortable when he did it. He propped himself up against the wall and grabbed a pillow to hold. She watched him and did the same, then pulled out her wand and closed the curtains, encasing them in darkness.

"What is said in here, goes no further," She said seriously. He nodded and agreed.

"So, who goes first?" He asked nervously.

"You do."

"Isn't it usually ladies first?" Neville asked, trying not to smile. Pansy huffed, but he could see a smirk on her face in the dim light too.

"Rock, paper, scissors?" She asked, holding out a fist. Neville snorted at that before offering his own fist.

"One, Two, Three" Neville held out a fist where Pansy held scissors.

"Best of three?" She asked. Neville rolled his eyes and agreed.

"One, Two, Three," Neville held out the flat of his hand for paper. Pansy smirked when her hands were still formed like scissors.

"One all," They nodded as they did it one final time.

"One, Two, Three" Neville held out a fist again, but this time Pansy offered the flat of her hand and grinned.

"You're first."

"Promise that you will tell me though," He said as he prepared himself. She nodded sadly as she pushed her green and purple hair out of the way.

Neville took a deep breath as he recalled everything that had happened, from the break up with Hannah to Stephen's attack in the shower. He closed his eyes as he felt the nerves build up. He remembered the panic at each and every moment and relived it a little.

When he was finished, he gripped the pillow and waited for her to laugh at him. He turned to her to find her with a hand over her mouth and tears in her eyes.

"Oh Neville, that's awful." She cried as she pulled him into a hug. He felt the relief instantly as she held his face, careful of his cheekbone. She pulled him forward and kissed his injury better. He felt the warmth spread through him as he breathed her in; the black cherries overpowered the violets today. They cuddled for a little while before Pansy backed away. "It needs to stop Neville, whether that's with McGonagall or me. You need to tell." He wanted to nod just to appease her but knew it would only anger her if he didn't mean it. He looked her squarely in the face, and she sighed

"Typical, stubborn Gryffindor!" she groaned. She shook her head as she pushed her hair back from her face. "As promised, it's my turn," She sighed as she gripped the pillow. "Probably best you hear it from me first anyway. I'm sure Oliver and Stephen will only make sure you find out soon."

Neville sat and waited, wishing the pulsing pain in his face would fade already. He watched as she gathered herself.

"It was while we were in third year and a seventh year asked me out. Remember Marcus Flint?" She asked.

He nodded, afraid to speak and ruin her flow. "He asked me out, and I said yes. He was so cool and popular. Quidditch Captain and from a good pureblood family, everything I knew I wanted back then. It was amazing being asked out by one of the older boys, and all the other girls were jealous. We would hold hands in the common room and kiss in some of the window seats when the professors weren't looking. It was really great for about two weeks. I was fourteen and boyfriends were only about holding hands and kissing." She shrugged for a moment as she stopped. Neville felt nervous about what he was about to hear. She swallowed and continued.

"Whenever we kissed, he would try to push a little bit further, try to expose a bit more flesh or push his hand a bit further under my clothes. Thinking that it was normal and acceptable, I let him. Whenever I did complain, he would threaten to dump me for a more mature girl. I didn't want to lose him, so I went along with it. Like a good little wife," She spat the last bit out like the words tasted terrible.

She turned to him then and took his hand while she stared at his knuckles.

"He used to call me his little wife, tell me he loved me. He even promised to set up a marriage contract with my father, and as a stupid third year, I fell for it - I drank it up. He pushed further and further until there was only one thing left to give and I finally said no."

Neville waited, feeling sick to his stomach as she relived this time in her life.

"I said no, and if there was one thing he didn't like, it was being told no. He tried to force me, he tried kindness first, then threats. He drove a wedge between my friends and me until I was all alone and vulnerable. Then he would try again, using dirtier tactics, sometimes hurting me. I always managed to say no, though, and he never did get what he wanted. Not that it matters."

She turned to him without looking at him. "The jibes that Stephen and Oliver were coming out with this morning were from then. When I said no that final time, Marcus dumped me. He left me with almost no friends, he humiliated me and spread rumours about me. I'm surprised you haven't heard them."

Neville shook his head.

"Filthy and lewd things. Saying that I wasn't a virgin when he got his way, that I was rubbish, saying that there had been many men before me. Slut, Whore, I could go on, but I don't think I could bear you looking at me if I did."

"I thought that the rumours had finally disappeared, especially with the war happening. I thought that maybe this year, I'd be free of them. But then this morning when they said those things... it brought it all back. Only Theo, Blaise and Draco forgave me and stayed friends with me afterwards. Some of the other girls thought I'd slept with their boyfriends and soon I became a pariah. Some of the rumours even got back to my parents who took me to St Mungo's to check I was still intact. You know how Purebloods are about purity. It was the most humiliating time I have ever had to endure. I felt like a broodmare."

Neville had nothing to say as he pulled his hand away. She let him go, but he could see the tears already forming in her eyes. He went to pull her into a hug, but she was already moving away.

"I'm sorry, I'll go." Neville frowned as he grabbed her wrist. She looked at him nervously.

"Stop, don't go," He said as he tried to pull her back. She beamed at him as she started to cry again. "Why are you crying?"

"I thought that you didn't want me. That you couldn't want me if you thought I was a slut." He shrugged as he held her close, resting his good cheek on her head.

"It's all bullshit," He said finally, enjoying the swear words. "I couldn't care less about the state of your virginity, even if you had gone all the way with Marcus." He shook his head as he stroked her hair "I think it's horrific what he put you through and I want you to tell me if anything I'm doing is being pushy. I'm happy to just kiss, cuddle and hold hands."

"I know you would never do anything to hurt me. I feel safe with you." She smiled against his hand. She kissed it before speaking again. "But are you saying you didn't enjoy last night?" She asked, a small smirk appearing on her lovely lips.

"I am not saying that at all. If you want to repeat anything from yesterday, I am more than ready for it; however, I will honour your decision if you don't want to." He promised. He blushed as he continued to talk. "I've never been with anyone, so I have no expectations." She leant back and looked at him, suspicion and disbelief written across her face.

"You've not? Not ever?" She asked with a frown. "What about Hannah?"

"She didn't want to do anything, so we didn't."

"Nothing?" Pansy asked curiously.

"We kissed a couple of times and held hands."

Pansy looked at him, her mouth open in shock.

"Oh, Salazar! I wish I had known," She said in horror.

"Why? Is it a problem?" He asked nervously. She shook her head.

"So yesterday behind the tapestry, that was your first-?" He smiled at the memory and nodded. "Fuck." She swore with feeling as she covered her face with her hands.

"What's wrong? Did I do something wrong?" He asked as he shifted on the bed.

"No, I did. I would have done things so much differently if I had known it was your first."

"Different? How?"

"Maybe it's different for girls. I would have done it somewhere else, for one thing. Maybe in your bed, made you more comfortable? I just wouldn't have done a quick one in a nook somewhere."

Neville laughed at that and pulled her back in for a cuddle.

"A quick one?" He laughed, feeling a blush creep up his cheeks at the thought. "It was perfect the way it was. I wouldn't have changed anything." He kissed her head again, wincing at the pain that suddenly intensified in his face.

"So, by the waterfall, that was your first time too?"

He nodded."You mean you couldn't tell?" He smirked proudly.

"No! It was…" She floundered for words for a moment. "It was great Neville, I've never had someone just want to give me pleasure without taking some back."

"Good, I'm glad I wasn't rubbish at it. I really did want you to you know-"

"Orgasm?" She asked with a smile.

"Yeah," He confirmed with a chuckle.

"Neville Longbottom, you are adorable. You can make a woman come screaming in ecstasy in about five seconds flat, but you can't say that you've done it. However, I can see my swearing has already started to wear off." She smirked "Sorry."

"Liar," he smirked back.

They sat in bed for a while longer, just enjoying the silence around them as Neville stroked her hair. It was the most relaxed he'd ever been with anyone, there were no secrets. If his face didn't hurt so much, the moment would have been perfect. Pansy sat up and smiled suddenly.

"Was this all just a cunning ploy to get me into bed with you?" She asked, quirking her eyebrow.

He laughed heartily before holding his cheek in pain.

"Really? After telling me all that, you're making jokes?"

"I own it. It happened, and there's nothing I can do to change it. As long as you're okay about it, so am I. It only bothered me because I thought it would bother you."

"So we're not breaking up?"

"Not if you can do that with your fingers on your first try! Salazar, Neville! I'm never letting you go! I'm interested in seeing what you can do with some practice." She wagged her eyebrows cheekily.

He laughed again before cringing.

"Would you mind if we just cuddled today? I'm quite tired," He felt exhausted from the pain, it seemed to touch everything and there was no way to ignore it.

Pansy's face straightened with concern.

"Is it really hurting? What did Pomfrey say?"

"I had to drink Skele-gro. The bruising won't disappear for a few days, but it should be healed by tomorrow. Just lots of pain between now and then and you were right, it was a fractured cheekbone."

She snorted as she lay down,"Maybe if Spagyric's falls through I could become a healer."

Neville lay down next to her and pulled her close as he breathed in the scent of her coloured hair. Her scent was concentrated in the bend of her neck, and he revelled in it.

"What happened by the way? I was supposed to be meeting you at potions."

"Fucking Cornfoot and Rivers!" She growled.

"Repeating all the rumours?" Neville asked and felt Pansy nod.

"Maybe I should just agree with the rumours and say that they're all true?" She pondered thoughtfully.

"I'd love to see their faces if you did." He replied as he pushed some hair out of her face. Pansy smirked and looked at him.

"Well we've got potions in about fifteen minutes so why don't we test the theory?"

"Sounds like a plan." Neville smiled. Pansy smiled back, the blotches still visible on her cheeks. Neville thought, looking into those silver eyes, that he'd never seen anyone more beautiful. He pulled her head forward gently and kissed her softly. He couldn't help the grin that passed his lips as she pulled away.

"What?" she asked with a smile.

"Fancy teaching me how to kiss properly?" He asked as he quirked his eyebrow. She gently hit his arm as she rolled her eyes.

"You know I didn't mean that!"

"Yeah, but fancy practising anyway?" He waggled his own eyebrows, and she smiled.

"If you insist," She said as she pressed her lips to his.


	23. More Wands Than Ollivander's

Neville leant against the wall, he eyes squeezed shut as he tried to blot out the agony radiating through his skull. He knew he should have probably stayed in bed, but Pomfrey's warning about his cheekbone not healing correctly forced him up. Pansy's soft hand in his kept him grounded and gave him something to focus on as they waited outside for Slughorn to arrive.

"Neville, you really should go back to the dorms, you're starting to look very pale." Pansy offered.

"Wow, you look dreadful, Nev!" He cracked opened an eye and snorted as he saw Ginny's concerned face appear.

"Thanks," He muttered as he pulled Pansy closer and wrapped his arm around her shoulder. She smiled up at him as she pulled him closer.

"Pomfrey give you Skele-gro?" Ginny asked suspiciously as she pulled her hair back into a ponytail. He nodded. "Eurgh!" she replied in sympathy.

Neville watched as a few others turned up and nodded to Wayne and Terry as they glanced over. They nodded back in greeting but only after staring at Pansy. He felt a wave of protectiveness and possessiveness as he turned and kissed her head. He savoured the way her hair smelled as he remembered that she was his.

"I told him, he should have stayed in bed, but you Gryffindors never listen to sense." Pansy offered with a smirk. "stubborn creatures!"

"I hate to say it Neville, but I think the Slytherin Princess is right."

"Princess?" Pansy asked with a smirk. "Thanks, I think."

"Pomfrey said to try and endure it if I can. If I sleep on it, it could heal strangely."

"Don't you dare ruin that handsome face. I'll never hear the end of it!" Theo chimed in as he approached, Blaise following closely behind.

Neville watched as Ginny stepped over, giving him room to get closer. She eyes him curiously before returning her gaze to Neville. He smiled, and she narrowed her eyes. He knew that they still had to talk. He guessed that she wanted to know why he had suddenly started hanging around with the Slytherin's. He'd probably be asking the same thing if he hadn't had their support in the last few days. Now that the old rivalries were dead and the threat of death was gone, it was like a weight had been lifted. They were far freer to be themselves.

"Damn right! I'd be devastated." Pansy replied.

Neville smirked as his eyes swept the growing crowd. Blond hair caught his attention, and he saw Hannah and Stephen. Hannahs's shoulders were set into a tense haunch as she stood next to Stephen. Their eyes met, and she looked away first. Her eyes darting between him and Pansy before they looked away. Stephen glared at him with a cruel smirk on his lips. Neville wondered whether he intended to cause trouble. If he did, he'd be outnumbered.

"Everything alright, Nev?" Ginny asked as she looked over her shoulder. Stephen's gaze shifted from Neville to her and winked. "Eurgh, what is that guy's problem?"

"There are too many to list," Theo replied quickly. They all laughed as Slughorn appeared.

Neville hadn't really noticed before, but Potions was one of the largest classes. With all the eighth years who had chosen to take the course joining the seventh years, the lessons were moved to a larger classroom to accommodate the swell in numbers. Who knew Potions would be that popular.

They all started shuffling towards the door as Slughorn led them through to their work stations. The desks had been shifted since their last lesson, now as rows of desks designed for two. He looked around and watched as people shuffled and partnered up. They rushed around grabbing seats. Pansy pulled him towards a desk near the back and sat him down.

"Are you sure you're going to be able to endure this? You really don't look well." He nodded. Potions were one of his least favourite lessons, he was only taking it so that he could get into the Aurors at the end of the year. "If you can manage to chop, I'll do the rest, alright?" She offered. He nodded again and smiled.

"Thank you for trying to look after me," He whispered as a small blush appeared across her cheeks.

"Shush, I have a reputation to maintain, remember?" She smirked as she winked at him.

"And what a reputation it is," Came a voice from behind them. Neville turned to find Stephen sneering at them with an uncomfortable-looking Hannah in tow. Neville had felt sorry for Hannah, but that had been before the Skele-gro and the pain. Any sympathy he had harboured had long since gone. He tried not to grit his teeth in frustration, knowing it would only cause him more misery.

"Isn't it just? It's hard work to maintain." She shot back quickly without the slightest glance over her shoulder. She turned to him and winked. "I'll go get the ingredients. Be right back." He nodded as he started to get their potions books out.

"So? Shortcock? How's your face? I notice it didn't improve your looks any." Neville ignored him as he continued to sort their things out.

"Nev?" Hannah asked, "What are you doing with that? Do you have no shame?" Hannah asked spitefully as Pansy returned. Her grey eyes passed between them, but she said nothing as she started getting her books out.

"With what, Han?" Neville replied coldly as he turned to look at her. He asked himself what he had ever liked about her as he studied her face. Her mouth was turned up in an ugly snarl, and her eyes looked redrimmed and small. Fury burned behind her eyes until their eyes met. It had the same effect as water to a flame. He knew that the look he gave her wasn't a friendly one and felt satisfied when she flinched.

"Alright! If you insist on acknowledging her after what she did. What are you doing with her? With that dirty Slytherin whore" She clarified as she pointed violently at Pansy.

"Oh, do you mean Pansy? It sounds like it's pretty obvious, We're fucking." He replied, feeling a thrill at swearing. If he had known that swearing could be so much fun, he'd have tried it much earlier. The words had the same effect as a slap around the face as her eyes bulged and her mouth gaped in surprise. "She's terrific at it," Neville added as he bit the inside of his mouth to stop from laughing. He heard Pansy cover a giggle with a cough and almost lost it.

"Neville!" Hannah admonished as she fell back onto the stool.

"What's wrong? Was that not the answer you were expecting?" Pansy asked, amused.

"Don't say such things. I don't believe you!" Hannah frowned as she shook her head.

"Well that's your problem, I'm not going to prove it to you," He shrugged as he turned back to their books.

"You? Fuck Parkinson?" Stephen asked before snorting derisively. "Yeah, right."

"It's true, he does." Pansy nodded as she pulled out their cauldron and scales.

"How would you know? I'm surprised you still have any feeling down there." Stephen laughed. "She's had more wands than Ollivanders, and with your shorty, Shortcock, she won't even know you're down there." Neville's eyes shot back to Pansy, who smiled nastily as she turned around.

"It's true, all of it. I'm a slut. No morals what so ever!" She said with a smirk "But do you know what? I couldn't be imperio-ed into touching you."

"You wouldn't be able to handle me." Stephen shot back, his jaw tensing. Neville couldn't help but smirk as Hannah had started to turn red at the vulgar language.

"Make up your mind! This morning, you said you'd need to strap a plank to your arse to stop yourself from falling in, and now you're saying I'm not big enough to handle you? Can't have it both ways, Cornfoot!"

"Stephen, please stop," Hannah asked shrilly. Neville watched as Stephen rolled his eyes in frustration.

"It's true, It must be really disappointing for Shortcock, you being like a cauldron down there! Does he have to stir it anticlockwise three times to get some feeling?"

"You know what? It's an embarrassing problem that I have to live with!" Pansy replied earnestly as she leant on their desk. "But it's alright, we make it work. It definitely helps that Neville's hung like an erumpent on heat." Pansy smiled at him, and he smirked back. "Were I but a normal girl, we would never be able to consummate our love. However, luckily for me, His basilisk is big enough for my chamber of secrets!" She smiled sweetly before turning.

Neville watched the disgust and horror fill Hannah's face as she stood again. Pansy began sorting the ingredients ready for them to use as she ignored the pair behind. She placed some in front of Neville ready for him to chop and then opened the book at the correct page.

Neville stole a glance at Pansy as she looked at the instructions and caught her eye. She smirked brightly as she read the instructions. He returned her smile as he looked at the ingredients. He heard movement and turned in enough time to see Hannah launch the jar of Knarl quills at Pansy's head.

Without thinking, Neville drew his wand and threw up a protego charm just as the jar was about to make contact. Pansy turned around in surprise as the glass jar shattered into pieces sending shards and spines skittling across the floor.

The room rang with sudden silence as Slughorn approached. Hannah's cheeks flamed as she stood breathing heavily, glaring at Pansy.

"Are you well, Ms Abbott?" He asked in his slow murmuring tone. She shook her head, and Neville watched as she trembled, her lip beginning to quiver.

"Parkinson launched that jar at me." She exclaimed as she pointed to Pansy, tears forming in her eyes.

"Is this true, Parkinson?" Slughorn asked. Pansy didn't even bat an eyelid as she addressed Slughorn.

"If I had, firstly, I wouldn't have missed, and secondly I wouldn't have gotten caught." She muttered before speaking up. "So no, I didn't."

"Are there any witnesses who saw Miss Parkinson throw the jar?" He asked, turning back to Hannah.

"I saw it all, Sir." Cornfoot offered. "She did it alright, I had to deflect it."

Neville stepped up and opened his mouth to speak when Ginny stepped over.

"Sir, I saw everything from over there, Parkinson had her back turned, and Abbott threw the jar. It hit the shield charm Neville threw up." Neville looked around and saw a few others nod in agreement.

Slughorn shook his head and tutted as he looked over his glasses at Hannah and Stephen.

"I would have thought that you both would have more sense after everything that has happened. I am appalled to be handing out detentions to eighth-year students. You chose to come back and study, and yet you are squandering the opportunity. Detention for the both of your Mr Curtin, Miss Abbott. Return here after lessons this evening."

He waved his wand and Neville watched as the jar reassembled with the quills within and returned to Hannah's desk.

"Now, Mr Curtin and Ms Abbott, you can relocate to the spare seats at the front. Obviously, I have to treat you like immature first years."

"It's Cornfoot, Sir" Stephen added.

"Yes, yes, very well," Slughorn said dismissively as the students swapped seats. Hannah glared at them as she walked past.

"Oh, she does not look happy," Pansy muttered as she continued to work.

"Are you alright?" Neville asked quietly as he saw how white her knuckles were. As she gripped the pestle and mortar. She opened her mouth to say something before catching herself. She looked at him and smiled gently, showing how shaken she was.

"Thank you," She whispered as she took his hand.

"Mr Longbottom," Slughorn called as she approached them again.

"Yes, sir?" He asked.

"Miss Parkinson told me about your affliction, I thought this might help." He said, handing him a vial.

"What is it, sir?" Neville asked, looking at the tiny vessel.

"Agon-flee pain relief, Swoopstike's own recipe with a few tweaks of my own I might add." He smiled as he pushed his fingers into the pocket of his plaid waistcoat. "It shouldn't interfere with Skele-gro, I removed the Capsaicin and added more powdered moonstone so it should compliment Madam Pomfrey's advice. Two drops should do the trick."

"Thank you, Sir," Neville said as he looked at the glittering, misty liquid. Slughorn nodded and returned to the front of the class.

Neville rested his face on his arm as he watched Pansy stir the potion. The steam had moistened her aqua hair and had made her skin dewy and flushed. He watched as she concentrated on the potion. He felt guilty that he wasn't pulling his weight, but she had refused to take it, insisting instead that he took Slughorn's potion and rest.

He watched the way her stunning eyes flitted between the book and the cauldron and watched as she chewed on her lip. She smirked before glancing at him.

"It's rude to stare," She muttered as she bumped his knee with her hip.

"Apparently I'm a bad boy now. I swear and stare and everything!"

"It's not my fault. I take no responsibility." She smirked as she leant her bottom against his leg. The thought and sound of her lace stockings rubbing against his skin made him smile.

"I was a good boy before you seduced me," Neville smirked as he fingered the vial. The pain in his face was constant now, and the longer he left it, the more tempted he was to use the potion.

Pansy shook her head, sending the longest strands of her multicoloured hair swaying.

"What are you waiting for?" She asked before adding in the puffskein hair.

"I'm not sure," He admitted. "On the one hand I really want to pain gone, but on the other hand I know my luck, and it will probably react badly with the Skele-gro,"

Pansy nodded as she thought it over. She eventually nodded. "It's true. You indeed have a knack for finding trouble," She stirred the cauldron, reading the directions.

Neville looked at the vial and shrugged. He was hoping that maybe his luck was changing and who else was better to prescribe potions that potions master? He pulled the stopper off and dripped to drops into his mouth. The liquid tasted like hot tea and warmed him as he swallowed it. Pansy stood watching him, her face safely blank as she studied his face.

The constant throb seemed to falter mid-pulse and then disappeared. Neville held his breath for a moment as he waited for the pain to return. After what felt like an eternity, he couldn't hold back the smile any more. He let out a long sigh as he put the stopper back into the vial and pushed it into his pocket. Every muscle in his body relaxing as he sighed.

"Better?" She asked cautiously.

"So much better." He breathed as he straightened in his chair.

"Good," She smiled genuinely before smirking, "And great, because I need the Billywig wings chopping and the things freak me out," Pansy winked as she pushed a jar towards him.

He stood up and began chopping, bumping his hip against hers, bringing an affectionate smile to her face. "Welcome back," She said as she bumped back.

Neville smiled down as he set to the task, relieved that he could finally think past the pain.


	24. Do It And Die

"How are you feeling now, Nev?" Hermione asked as they all sat down to lunch.

"So much better, Slughorn gave me something for the pain and Pomfrey gave me Skele-gro so I should be back to normal tomorrow."

"Normal?" Ginny snorted "What's normal about you these days? Dating Pansy Parkinson, Sporting dyed green and purple hair and swearing like a sailor, About as normal as a Nazzle Mumph drinking hot chocolate!"

"Swearing?" Hermione asked before taking a bite of her sandwich.

"He told Cornfoot and Abbott that he and Pansy were fucking!" Ginny grinned. "The look on her face was priceless. She had to sit down and recover! And then!" She paused for emphasis "Then she threw a jar at Pansy's head, and Neville blocked it with a protego."

"What?" Hermione asked, covering her full mouth to talk.

"It was amazing! Neville, I always knew it, but you are a legend! I hate to say it, but the Princess is good for you."

Neville blushed. "Even though I now swear?" He smirked, raising an eyebrow.

"I don't know. Maybe if I were into men. With the new body, hair and attitude, I'm sure I'd find you utterly irresistible." Ginny grinned as she wrapped her arm around Luna.

"Are you sure you know what you're doing?" Hermione asked cautiously "Are you being careful? There are spells-"

"Yes- No, We've not- y'know," Neville stuttered as he fought the blush in his cheeks.

He did not need to have 'the talk' with Hermione. However, he guessed that hearing about 'the Fwoopers and the Billywigs' from her would be preferable to the explanation given by his Gran. He shuddered at the memories, and he still didn't know where garden gnomes came into it all. Maybe he would have to ask Hermione for the muggle version, but not right now.

"You haven't?" Ginny asked as her red eyebrows flew up. "I mean, I know its early days, but you could have fooled me, the chemistry between the pair of you, it's intense,"

"So, it's all fake?" Hermione asked as she frowned.

"No, we are together, but we've not slept together," He explained. Ginny and Hermione nodded in understanding.

"I like her, she adds crackle. I really like Theo and Blaise too. They're funny. I think we should involve them more." Luna said absently as she continued to read her copy of the quibbler.

"Speaking of which, where are they?" Hermione asked as she looked around the hall.

"Pansy had to stay to speak with Slughorn, and I'm not sure about Theo and Blaise."

"You know, I was going to ask you what you were thinking, adopting the Slytherins, but I actually like them. Theo is hilarious, He and Goldstein couldn't take their eyes off each other during Potions. Blaise is quiet, but he is" She grasped for the word as she looked around. "Sassy! Sassy and sarcastic." She exclaimed finally.

"I still haven't really spoken to Blaise. However, Theo helped me through a panic attack the other morning, so I've only got good things to say." He looked down at his half-eaten sandwich as he avoided their eyes.

"Oh Neville," Hermione breathed as she placed her hand on his. "We're always here to talk about things. Just say the word, and I'll go straight to McGonagall!"

"Screw McGonagall, I'll destroy them! No one's messing with our Neville!" Ginny said as she reached for her goblet.

"At least with Pansy, she can give as good as she gets, I'm not sure Daisy would be able to handle that kind of attention,"

"Daisy? Who's Daisy?"

"Do you mean the seventh year Ravenclaw?" Ginny asked

"Hufflepuff," Luna corrected. She hummed and turned the page of her magazine. "She asked Neville out in Herbology yesterday."

"What?" Ginny and Hermione exclaimed in unison.

"Check you out, you lady's man, you!" Ginny smirked

"Actually, that reminds me, Mandy and Lisa were asking questions about you yesterday. Inappropriate questions to tell you the truth." Hermione said primly.

"That was because someone saw Neville in the buff." Ginny raised her eyes brow.

"Stephen and Oliver stole my towel and opened the portrait door just as a couple of girls were coming down the stairs." Neville cringed.

"They wanted to know what your shoe size was and also whether you snore." Hermione repeated "amongst other things. I'm not sure why they think I would know that." Hermione frowned.

He shook his head as he looked around the room, lunch was half over, and Pansy still wasn't back. He had a bad feeling about this.

"I'm going to find Pansy, I'll see you guys in Transfiguration. They nodded as she climbed out from the bench. He grabbed a couple of the cheese sandwiches, wrapped them and threw them into his bag before stepping out.

The corridors seemed strangely empty as he headed back towards Potions. He couldn't imagine what Pansy and Slughorn could possibly talk about for so long.

"Do it and Die, Dickhead!" He heard a girl shout. He froze for a moment before he realised it was her. His heart was in his throat, echoing through his ears as he started to run towards her. He could hear others now, people jeering and hissing as he closed in. He saw the start of a gathering blocking the corridor as he neared. Why was there a crowd? It didn't make sense. "Do that again, Rivers! Let's see where it gets you!" He heard Pansy growl.

A crowd had formed in a semicircle around Pansy, and someone else who he assumed was Rivers.

"Slytherin whore! Why don't you show everyone what you're selling? Might get you some more business," He teased before there was a flash. He heard Pansy shriek as she was hoisted into the air by her ankle. Her skirt obeyed gravity, flashing her stockings and knickers for everyone to see. The crowd started to laugh as Pansy struggled to cover herself. Neville blushed angrily as he pushed the group in front of him out of the way.

"Too far, Rivers!" He snarled as he sent a jinx at Rivers. Oliver stared in surprise as the jinx flew at him. Just as it was about to hit, Rivers' whole body flew backwards, reeling into and knocking a few of the other students down with him. Neville flicked another jinx at him turning his head into a tentacle as he approached Pansy.

There was a disappointed groan as he flicked his wand, allowing her to fall into his waiting arms. He could feel her trembling as he helped her to stand. He brushed down her skirt, making sure she was covered.

"Hey Longbottom, give it a smack for me!" Someone called from behind him. He heard a few others snigger as he straightened and turned.

He saw a group of lads chuckling as they eyed Pansy. He whipped out his wand, and as suddenly as one could say 'levicorpus', they were all hanging from their ankles.

"Not so funny now, is it? Maybe I should start stripping you off so that you know how it feels? Who wants to go first?" He asked with a growl.

"You wouldn't dare. I'll tell everyone you're gay!" Said one of the Gryffindors "This is harassment."

"What's your name?" He demanded. They reminded silent, so he flicked his wand, and their belt buckles flew off.

"Price," Said the first,

"Greenslade, and he's Fitzpatrick." Said one of the others.

"So, Price, Greenslade and Fitzpatrick, I happen to know your head of house very well, I'll be doing some telling of my own. If I ever catch you allowing bullying again or being disrespectful, I will deal with you myself."

"Just cause you decapitated a snake, doesn't make you hard!" Said Fitzpatrick sullenly.

"No, it doesn't, but being in a war doesn't make me disrespectful either!" He lowered them to the floor roughly before catching them all with a stinging hex "Expect house points to be deducted, and as much as it pains me, expect it to be a lot. You're going to be really popular!"

"Sorry," Said Price, as they all got up with a groan. Neville decided to only mention the other two to McGonagall.

"Price, Take Rivers to the hospital wing." He nodded as he grabbed the older student and tried to levitate him.

"Don't the rest of you have places you need to be right now? Go on!" He threatened as he sent red sparks flying after some of the reluctant students who still lingered. He turned back to her, his anger forgotten for the time being.

"Are you alright?" He asked as she was still smoothing her skirt down over her legs. He could see a tear streak down her red cheek as she pushed it away, angrily with her hand.

"No! I'm fucking pissed off! I leave Slughorn, only to have Cornfoot try to come onto me, then when I turned him down, he attacked me. He slapped my arse!" She pushed her skirt down as a fresh blush blazed across her cheeks. Her voice had gone higher than usual and whilst she looked reasonably collected, he'd begun to notice the signs. Her hands shook, and her eyes darted around wildly.

"Where's Cornfoot now?" Neville asked, looking around the now-empty corridor. He was going to rip him a new one when he saw him.

"He's probably in the hospital wing with Pomfrey trying to explain that his fingers need to be grown back. However, he might have trouble with that as I hit him with a langlock." She explained as she smoothed her skirt down again. "fucking disgusting perverts." She growled furiously.

"Are you hurt?" He asked as he touched her face smoothing away a fresh tear as it made its way down her cheek. This movement seemed to calm her, as her eyes stopped moving. She looked at him, and he could now see fresh tears waiting to fall.

"Of course, I'm not hurt! I've been reflecting and avoiding curses like that since first year. These Ravenclaws are so far behind the curve. It was only by chance that he managed to catch me with the Levicorpus jinx."

He smiled weakly as he stroked away another tear. "Thank you for coming to my rescue," She offered as she pulled away to grab her bag from the floor. Neville grabbed it first and threw it over his shoulder. She smiled as she smoothed her skirt down again. She bit her lip as she looked down at the floor.

"It's not like you needed my help!" He replied as he pulled out his sandwiches and offered them to her. "Now come on, I have an idea." He said as he took her hand.


	25. Something With Teeth

"What are we doing here?" She asked suspiciously as he held open the tapestry.

"Come on, just get in. I'm not the former-Slytherin schemer, so I'm pretty sure you're safe." He winked, teasingly and pretended to be hurt when she punched his arm.

"I guess you have a point." She agreed as she stepped inside. Neville climbed in behind her and put their bags down. "Now what?"

"Now you relax and eat" He shrugged as he slid down the wall to sit on the floor, giving her the ledge to perch on. "I thought that being somewhere away from people would be good. I can go too if you like,"

"No!" She shouted before blushing. "You can stay, I want you to stay." She smiled nervously as she unwrapped the sandwiches. "Cheese sandwiches?" She asked questioningly. "Did you mean to get me these?" She asked carefully.

"Did I grab the wrong thing? Everything else had meat on, so…" He paused "I thought it was a safe choice." He finished. Had he done wrong? He waited and let out a breath when she smiled. She took one of the halves and offered him the other. He shook his head, and she took it back.

"It is, I'm just surprised you remembered."

"When it comes to you, I remember everything." He smirked as he leant against the wall. "So you really hit Cornfoot with a langlock and the finger removal jinx?" Neville asked with a smirk. She nodded. "Good!"

They were silent for a while as Pansy ate. Once finished, she lowered herself to her knees in front of him. Neville scooted back to give her more room but even so, their legs crisscrossed.

She looked so vulnerable as she sat there, pulling at the hem of her skirt. She seemed so much younger for a moment.

"Would you mind- can we-" She stuttered, and he swallowed nervously. He wasn't used to her being so uncertain. "I just need- Will you hold me?" She asked bashfully without looking at him. He could see how much effort had gone into the simple request.

"You never need to ask that." He replied as he opened his arms and legs so that she could get closer. She lay on him, her hip slotting in between his legs. He pulled her close, kissing her head as he ran his hands around her. She let out a shuddering breath, and Neville knew she'd started to cry again. He shushed her quietly as he would a baby as he stroked her hair. He let her take as much comfort as needed.

"I am mortified," She confessed a while later.

"It wasn't that bad." He lied.

"Don't lie, I don't like it." She said seriously as she pushed herself up to look at him. Her face was red and tear-streaked. He reached out and wiped them away with his thumbs.

"I'm sorry." She shook her head as he dropped his hands.

"Did many people see?" She whispered.

He took a deep breath and considered his words before he answered. She looked so small and delicate. It was in such contrast to her usual confident demeanour that he felt a stab of worry.

"I think you only flashed for a few moments and I think you managed to cover yourself pretty quickly." He comforted.

"Oh, Salazar!" She cursed as she buried her face in his robes.

"Sexy stockings by the way," He smiled as he tried to make light of the situation.

"I'm glad you think so," She said, her voice muffled. "I'm sure that the rest of the school will agree." She said snarkily.

"Least everyone will know how hot my girlfriend is." He said as he tried to make her laugh.

"Neville," She said as she shook her head. He sighed, she wasn't ready for humour yet, that was ok.

"I'm just trying to make you laugh," He said quietly.

"Take my mind off it instead. Tell me a story about you," Pansy asked. He thought for a moment before the story came to mind. He cringed inwardly before her started to tell it.

"Ok, did you know that my family thought I was a squib?" Pansy looked at him, her eyebrows high as she shook her head. "Yeah, I never did any accidental magic as a child. My Gran was so worried that I would grow up with no magic. The rest of the family would try to test me to make my magic come out." She pulled away from him and watched as he continued.

"They would jump out behind things and scare me or would throw things at me. I remember once, I think I was about nine, and we went to Blackpool. I was so excited, I was looking forward to going on some of the Muggle fair rides there. I'd never been anywhere muggle before." He stopped as he swallowed. "I never got a chance to see much of it. One of my uncles dropped me off Blackpool pier. I almost drowned." He took a deep breath as he remembered the tightness in his chest as the water pressed in on him. It reminded him of Cornfoot holding him down in the shower. "I've never told anyone that I'm still scared of deep water, I've never really learned to swim."

The silence around them was palpable as he looked at Pansy. She slowly shook her head and got up.

"When I said tell me a story, I meant something funny. That was horrifying," She muttered as she straddled his lap. His eyes watched as he tried not to think. He tried not to see her skirt riding up to flash her stockings as the material stretched tautly.

Neville swallowed again and looked up into her eyes.

"Sorry," he muttered "I don't have many of those," he confessed. Her weight on his lap felt comforting and distracting as she ran her hands up to his face. He winced in anticipation as she touched his left cheek, but no pain came. She smiled as she leant closer.

"Maybe we should make some memories of our own." He nodded as his eyes darted down to her lips. She smiled, her pink lips contrasting with her creamy skin. "Like, do you remember that time we got off with each other behind the tapestry before Transfiguration?" she asked with a smirk.

Neville smiled back as he followed her train of thought. He nodded as he slid his hands into her hair.

Their lips touched, and she sighed. How he loved hearing her. He sucked her bottom lip between his teeth and nibbled lightly as she pulled his closer, tightening her hold on him.

She groaned as she pulled his hair. He couldn't help the moan that left him, he hadn't expected it, but he had enjoyed it. She swiped his lip with her tongue before she smiled into the kiss.

She pulled away slightly before running her lips across his jawline. His hands travelled south as he held her at the waist he waited a few seconds before sliding his hands to her shirt. He could feel her tight nipples under her robes. She shuddered against him as he swiped his fingers over them. He smirked, feeling a swell of confidence that usually escaped him. He lowered his own mouth to her neck and bit down gently as he continued to tease the growing bumps.

Pansy let out a shuddered moan which vibrated straight down to his waking cock. He sucked at her neck as she sighed.

He had never wanted anyone so much at that moment. He yearned to do everything he'd heard his friends talk about and everything he'd ever read in storybooks. He wanted to lose himself in her.

He pulled away reluctantly as he drew in a deep, fortifying breath.

"We need to stop," He whispered. As he pressed his forehead against hers. She sucked in her bottom lips as she nodded.

"I don't want to." She confessed as she opened her eyes. From so close, he felt like he could see everything within her heavy-lidded eyes.

"I don't either but we can't,"

"I know," She nodded again. "Come on. I think lessons are starting," She smiled as she stood up. She offered her hand, and he took it as he stood. Before they did anything else, he pulled her to him fiercely and kissed her deeply. He wanted her, and he wanted her to know just how much. He wanted her to be in no doubt of just how much he needed her. He tried to convey everything he felt and thought into that one kiss.

When he pulled back, she looked slightly unsteady as he smiled down at her. She smiled dreamily and blushed before touching her lip with her fingers.

"Salazar! You can kiss me like that any time." She grinned. He returned her grin as he picked up their bags, ready to go.

"I'll remember you said that,"

They were slightly late to transfiguration but managed to get to their desks without comment from Mcgonagall, who only watched them with her eagle eyes. The lesson had gone peacefully as both Rivers and Cornfoot were absent. Hannah was alone looking miserable. At several points throughout the lesson, they caught her watching; her red-rimmed eyes staring intently before turning around. The sight of it reminded him of Lavender when she and Ron split up. It was disconcerting. They tried to ignore her as much as possible and focused on the task at hand, transfiguring themselves.

He tried to concentrate on Mcgonagalls instructions but struggled to follow. Even Hermione had to ask her to repeat the instructions a couple of times, which made him feel infinitely better.

He glanced over at Pansy, who was chewing on her lip again, her brow furrowed in concentration. He smiled, she was so lovely to look at. He looked away before she could accuse him of staring. He waved his wand as he tried to concentrate on his animagus form.

"What animal are you thinking of?" she asked, He shrugged as he closed his eyes to concentrate.

"I'm not sure it matters, does it? I thought McGonagall said that it was reflective of your personality. What about you?"

"Maybe she only says that because she actually wanted to be a lion," He could hear the smirk in her voice and smile. "I'd like to be fast and be something that can bite,"

"Bite?" He asked, raising his eyebrows. "Why?"

"Why not? Who wants to be something cute and helpless? What's the point?"

"True, What about a rabbit?" He asked, smirking himself. "I think you would make the best rabbit,"

"A rabbit?" She scoffed bumping her his into his.

"Yeah, I think you would be the cutes rabbit, also have you seen the size of their teeth?"

"Are you saying I have big teeth, Longbottom?" She asked as she hit his arm. He opened his eyes and found her smiling at him. It was a beautiful smile, filled with humour, affection and mischief. If he could bottle a smile, that would be the one.

"Your teeth are perfect, and you know it," He smirked as he closed his eyes again "You're just fishing for compliments."

"I am not!" She replied, and he actually heard her stamp her foot. He laughed, louder than he had intended as he turned to look at her.

"Mr Longbottom? Is there something funny about becoming one with your animal?"

"Sorry Professor." He replied sheepishly as some of the other people in the class turned and looked at him. Ginny smirked at him and shook her head as she turned around again. Hermione frowned before doing the same.

"Serves you right," Pansy whispered back

With a smug smirk before winking at him. He rolled his eyes as he closed them again.

He felt her fingers intertwine with his and squeeze affectionately. He couldn't hide the smile on his face. He squeezed softly in response as he tried to refocus, but nothing was coming to mind.

"Right class, Your homework is revision and nineteen inches on the animagus method. Due Tuesday"

He opened his eyes and turned to Pansy, who winked back as they started to pack away their belongings.

"Abbott, Longbottom and Parkinson, Could you please wait behind."

The smile fell from his face as his eyes met with Hannah. The blond turned away from him as she packed away her own things.

"Oh, what now?" Pansy complained as she threw herself onto the chair.

"Good luck," Ginny wished them as they left, "Let us know whats going on," Hermione nodded as she glanced over.

"Let us know if you need anything." She added before they left.

Soon the class was empty, and Mcgonagall was stood holding her wand at the front of the class, looking at them in turn.

"Thank you for staying behind. Some complaints have been brought to my attention, and I wanted to clarify them before they escalate further. Firstly." She said as she stepped closer to Pansy. Neville tightened his grip on her. "I hear that Mr Cornfoot and Mr Rivers are in the hospital wing. The former missing fingers on both hands and being unable to communicate due to being jinxed with the langlock jinx. The latter had his head transformed into a tentacle. Would you care to explain why Miss Parkinson?"

"Indeed I would, Cornfoot attempted to flirt with me and then when he realised that he would be disappointed with my answer, he assaulted me. It was self-defence." Pansy advised.

"Oh, Please!" Hannah snorted derisively

"And is there anyone who can confirm that?" McGonagall asked, ignoring Hannah.

"There were a few other people in the corridors however I don't know their names."

"And what about Mr Rivers?"

"That was me," Neville advised as the professor turned her gaze to him.

"How so, Mr Longbottom?" She asked as she tilted her head.

"Pansy had to stay behind to see Professor Slughorn, and when she didn't come to the hall, I went to find her. I found her suspended by her ankle where Rivers was humiliating her in front of a crowd of students."

"What? When did this happen?" She asked angrily.

"Lunchtime." He explained.

"I don't suppose you have any witnesses for this either?" She asked sourly.

"Indeed I do, three Gryffindor boys were stood by watching. Price, Greenslade and Fitzpatrick. Fitzpatrick also joined in the humiliation once Pansy was down."

"Stupid boy," She growled.

"I told them that I would be telling you about the incident. I told Price to take Rivers to the hospital wing."

"So, both incidents were self-defence?" She asked as she looked between Pansy and Neville. They nodded. "Which brings me onto my next point - an unforgivable curse has been or is currently being used within these walls. I cannot stress the severity of this matter. As you are aware, the use of such spells can warrant a stay in Azkaban."

Neville looked at Pansy, who had paled perceptively. She glanced him too and tightened her hand in his.

"I don't know what you're talking about, Professor," Neville advised. McGonagall peered down at him and stared into his eyes. He frowned and looked back uneasily.

"Mr Longbottom, I was advised that you have been placed under the imperious curse."

"What?" He frowned as he stood. "No, by who?"

"By Ms Parkinson here."

He turned to Pansy whose eyes were wide and dark in her papery white skin. She shook her head, nervously.

"Pansy wouldn't do that to me," Neville argued. His eyes moving from Mcgonegall to Pansy. He noticed Hannah staring from behind, and the knut dropped. "Did she tell you that?" He asked, and he surprised himself at how cold his voice had become.

"She was concerned about your well being, I believe," McGonagall muttered.

"What did you tell her, Hannah?" Neville asked, looking around the Professor.

"Nothing, I didn't say anything." She stuttered.

"Hannah?" He warned

"She must have done something to you, you're not the same, she's got you under her spell. She stole you," She admitted shamefully, a sob escaping. Neville was sure it was fake.

"That's it, it's gone too far, I am done!" He said finally.

"What do you mean, Longbottom."

"I was more than willing to take it when it was only about me, almost thought I deserved it too, but this is too far. She's just trying to get Pansy locked up! Who would believe a former Slytherin student so soon? That's evil Hannah."

"Longbottom, Stop talking in riddles and explain yourself?"

"Hannah dumped me. A few days later, her new boyfriend, Cornfoot and his friend Rivers start a campaign against me. They've shredded my clothes, Jinxed me, messed with my shampoo, trapped me naked in front of other students, tripped me in the shower, broken my cheekbone and tried to hold my head under the water." Neville shook his head and continued "That was just since yesterday. When Hannah and the others discovered that I was seeing Pansy, they started on her. Hannah threw a jar at her head in potions. Cornfoot and Rivers have both been spreading slanderous rumours around about her. and today she was attacked and humiliated in the corridors in front of other students."

"These are severe allegations Mr Longbottom," McGonagall muttered albeit he could see that she seemed surprised at his report.

"If you have a pensieve, you can have my memories of each incident."

"That would be helpful. And you Ms Parkinson, do you have your memories of the incidents?" Pansy nodded.

"You can't seriously be believing them?" Hannah interrupted. "He is obviously under the imperious curse. He's been walking around with a strange look on his face, and he's with her all the time. He's acting out of character."

"I agree that Mr Longbottom is acting differently, but I believe that this behaviour is perfectly normal. I believe the strange look you've been referring to, is his smile, ms Abbott."

Neville bit the inside of his lip to stop from smirking at the offended look on Hannah's face.

"Now, your memories please, I will look into this matter,, and please refrain from jinxing anyone else." She handed them each a vial and waited while they pulled out the memories. Neville watched as the misty strands undulated within the glass.

He stared at Hannah as he handed the vial over. Maybe this would be the end of it. Looking at Pansy and remembering how insecure she had been after the attack made him realise if it wasn't the end, he would no longer stand by and let them mess with him. He would fight back and show them not to mess with him and his.

Maybe he was a predator too, something with teeth. He wasn't vicious, but he would defend himself. He saw a bear in his mind's eye, something large and clumsy but powerful and intimidating. It was an interesting thought as he and Pansy were dismissed, leaving Hannah alone with McGonagall.


	26. Etiquette

Once out of the room, the emotions came crashing down. He watched as Pansy's hands trembled as she slid against the wall to the floor. He knew that a lot of the Slytherins had spent time in Azkaban over the summer as they awaited trial. It had been a testament to Minister Shaklebolt and the reforms that he had put in place, that they hadn't been left there to rot. He knew that Harry's testimony on behalf of the Malfoys and the other students played a large part in it.

It never really registered to him just how much she may have been affected by it. He slid down to the floor next to her and put his arm around her. Her trembling frame seemed to reverberate through and into him. He stroked her arms and pulled her close, anything to get her to stop shaking. He shushed her quietly as he stayed close. Her eyes were wide and distant as if remembering something. He had seen Hermione and Harry do similar things when something triggered them. It was as though the nightmares could strike during daylight hours and plague them in full colour.

He held her hand, stroking repetitive patterns with his thumb and whispered comforting words, as he waited for her to return to him.

"It's ok, you're safe. I've got you." He whispered. She nodded as the wild look remained in her eyes.

He waited patiently as the trembling seemed to lessen. With every breath, she seemed to find her way back to herself.

"Better?" He asked eventually as she looked around in surprise. She looked at him for a moment as if she didn't recognise him. He waited and then smiled when recognition returned.

She nodded and swallowed, her eyes wide and haunted as she gripped onto his robes.

"I'm not going back to Azkaban," She muttered, he wasn't sure whether she was asking or telling but either way he shook his head and held her close.

"Never." He confirmed, "They would have to get through me first." He offered.

"That makes me feel so much better." She said with the ghost of a smile on her lips. He smirked softly as he kissed her hands.

"I don't like to brag, but I'm not just a pretty face." He added. He just wanted to see her laugh.

She smiled weakly. "Definitely not!" She murmured as she tried to get up. He helped her up and held her steady.

He smiled softly at her.

"Do you need me to take you to the hospital wing?" He asked carefully. She shook her head.

"I should get to Arithmancy, Theo and Blaise will be wondering where I am."

"I'll walk you if you feel up to it?" She nodded, and they walked.

He felt uneasy letting her go into the class without him but knew that she needed to be with her friends and those who had experienced what she had. He returned back to the common room. He was in desperate need to finish some of his assignments. In all of the confusion, he was running behind. He trudged up the stairs and pushed open the door, confident that the room was safe with Hannah still with McGonagall and the boys in the hospital wing.

He headed towards the kitchen and set his bag down. He needed coffee and lots of it. After getting himself settled, he started to focus while he waited for Pansy to return.

Two hours seemed to fly by in a blink when a pair of hands smoothed over his shoulders. He looked around startled as a crowd of people descended upon him. Theo, Hermione and Blaise were having an in-depth discussion about Arithmancy which Neville failed to follow.

"I missed you," She whispered into his ear with a kiss as she pulled out the chair beside him.

"I missed you too, how do you feel?" He asked as he kissed her wrist. Her eyes still looked haunted, but she smiled warmly.

"Better," She nodded as she pulled out her books from her bag.

Neville watched as Hermione, Theo and Blaise followed suit. He had never really noticed before, but usually, he joined other people, where ever they were sitting, or he would move to join others even after he had settled down. It was such a nice feeling that people had joined him. It was small, but it made him smile. It was in such stark contrast to what Hannah had said about him being someone who hangs on.

"Have you managed to get much done?" She asked as she took his hand.

"I managed to finish my Charms essay, and I'm halfway through my Runes assignment. I still have to get Muggle studies, Defence and Herbology out of the way."

"I've done the Muggle studies assignment if you need any help,"

"No cheating," Hermione warned as she sat down with her mountain of books. Pansy smirked and rolled her eyes.

"Yes, Mother," Hermione rolled her eyes as she continued her conversation with Blaise.

"I've got to do Defence and Herbology too, but I've also got Alchemy to finish."

"Well, If we can get as much as possible done tonight, it means we may not have much to catch up on after our date tomorrow." He smiled as he stroked her hand.

"Ah yes," She smiled "Our date," She pushed her hair out f her face and nodded.

"So what's the plan?"

"Up to you, what would you like to do?"

"Well, we must go to Dogwood and Deathcap so that you can see whether you can find your plant, other than that, I don't know. We could always play it by ear?"

"Sounds like a plan," he agreed.

"Going on a date are we?" Theo asked suddenly. Neville blushed and smiled.

"Yes, we are."

"Can we come?" He asked with a wink. "You know you're supposed to be chaperoned," Theo winked.

"Chaperoned?" Neville and Hermione asked with a frown.

"Stupid pure blood rule, I should have a chaperone with me at all times. As I'm sure you've noticed, I tend not to follow that rule."

"You mean there are rules you actually follow?" Blaise asked with a sneer.

"I'll have you know I follow a great deal of the rules my parents have set for me. Just not the ones I don't like."

"What other rules?" Neville asked. He couldn't imagine his Gran being so strict with him, but maybe it was different for boys.

"The main one, I am not to have sex. I must remain pure for my husband" she rolled her eyes.

"She must be chaperoned at all times," Theo repeated.

"She mustn't wear revealing clothes," Blaise smirked.

"She mustn't swear," Theo rolled his eyes and smiled.

"No running or physical exertion,"

"No emotional outbursts," The two former Slytherins looked at each other and nodded.

"That's all of them," Neville glanced at Hermione before they both turned to Pansy who looked glum and red.

"As I said, I follow all the ones I like," She smirked "Fuck the rest of them," She snorted as they all started to chuckle.

"How do you live with all that pressure?" Hermione asked.

"When you are a pure-blood, you follow the rules, or you get disowned." She shrugged.

"And you're not worried about being disowned?"

Pansy shook her head. "I'm their only child, I'm not sure they would have the heart, However, what they don't know can't hurt them."

Hermione shook her head in shock before looking back at her homework.

"Think we can follow those rules?" Pansy asked as she looked at him. Neville snorted and nodded.

"Why not, it's not like we've broken any of them already," He said. Pansy smiled slyly, and Neville blushed.

"Just please, see whether you can do something about your hair, your parents will drag me into it if you return home for Christmas like that." Blaise sighed.

"It's the first of October tomorrow, I've got time for it to fade before I have to go home."

"I dread to think of the look on your father's face if you return with hair that colour. I believe he would even cancel the party if you did."

"Yeah, knowing your father, he would prefer to lock you away than cancel that party."

"It is an important party," Pansy shrugged without looking at them. "It's the Parkinson Yule celebration, They've held it for hundreds of years. My mother always said it was a way of celebrating the worst time and ensuring our survival for the future. They always have grand gestures planned,"

"Grand gestures?" Hermione asked.

"We won't discuss last year, it was rather more morbid than I dare mention," Theo added grimly. "But a few years ago they held a masquerade and a Wickerman burned in the grounds."

"Wickerman? Like the muggle film?" Hermione asked. Neville shrugged as did the others.

"It's a large wicker cage shaped like a man or an animal which they fill with offerings and burn."

Hermione nodded in understanding. "Just without the human sacrifice then?" She smiled. Blaise, Pansy and Theo looked at each other but didn't answer.

Hermione's eyes widened as she covered her mouth with her hand.

"It has been known, especially with the Dark Lord in attendance," Theo said quietly.

"It's rarely been that bad," Pansy tried to assure them. "Sometimes it's about new business ventures undertaken, marriage contracts signed, celebrations of births and deaths from the previous year. My father treats it as a business fundraiser for the most part. There are always ministry and international bigwigs there waiting to sign away their money to another money-making scheme."

Neville watched as Pansy spoke and realised that she seemed disgusted by the whole thing. The way she played with the hem on her robes, twisting it tightly in one direction before tugging it and turning it in the other. Pansy didn't have many ticks he recognised, but this was a huge one.

"We'll have to write to George and see if there's anything we can do about your hair before then." He squeezed her hand and smiled. She smiled in return.

The mood around the table was subdued until they heard the door from downstairs open. They looked over and watched as Hannah walked hurriedly to the stairs. She noticed them looking and started to run. She looked terrified as she disappeared up the stairs.

He turned back to the table and found Theo and Blaise sharing a look at Pansy. He couldn't read the look. He caught Blaise's eye, and he nodded. Neville nodded back and hoped that all would become clear later on.

"We have an hour before lunch is served, I suggest we get started," Hermione added. They all groaned but knuckled down much to Neville's amusement. It was almost like school had been with Harry and Ron complaining.

He looked at Pansy and squeezed her hand again. She smiled, and he hoped that the haunted look would fade, but as her mouth straightened, the tormented look returned. He would have to work especially hard to get rid of that.


	27. Sinister Shadows and Violet Fields

The corridor seemed to stretch for miles as the moon cast twisted and sinister shadows. He looked around, pointing his wand into the shadows. He knew they were chasing him, knew they were close behind, but he needed to get everyone out.

He could hear their hoarse, croaking breaths as they scuttled down the hallway, chasing him through the halls. He felt the hot breath on the back of his neck and froze.

He heard the flash and the crackle as every muscle tensed. The teeth in his head wanted to shatter at how hard he bit down. Determined not to cry out or yell. He refused to satisfy them. Hot fire licked at his bones and rolled in his lungs like a salamander waking from a deep sleep. He wanted it to burst free so that he could be free of the pain. He tried to breathe, but the fire serpent had consumed the air. The desire to howl, to escape the blinding pain that bleached his vision was everpresent.

Tears escaped and rolled down his cheeks as he endured, knowing his mother had experienced the same keen agony. Knowing that this endless torment had broken his father. He tried to sob for the loss of his parents, but he couldn't breathe. He clawed at his throat as he tried to scream, the water extinguishing the fire surrounding him but the salamander stayed lodged in his throat. He was drowning, in fire and water, he was dying.

He felt a hand against his face and a soothing voice. He reached for the sound, down that long shimmering lifeline. Was it his mother? Had the pain not stolen her away from him after all? He felt like a child again, sure that his mother would be there this time to answer his cries.

He shot up and sat panting into the air. A floating light and a face hovered over him. He shouted out as he tried to back away.

"I'm sorry. It's only me. Shush, you're safe." Came the voice from the dark.

He swallowed down his fear as his heart threatened to burst out of his chest. The face floated before him; large pale eyes staring at him mournfully.

"Pansy? What are you doing here?" He gasped as the ghostly face came into focus. He rubbed at his face to try and fight off the fear as he relearned to breathe.

"I'm sorry I had a nightmare too. I couldn't get back to sleep," She choked.

He stopped and looked at her. Tears were still wet on her cheeks, as she sat on the edge of the bed. Her distress seemed to mute his own.

"Come here." He said as he held open his sheets. She climbed in beside him, her cold feet bringing a hiss to his throat as she touched his legs.

"I'm sorry," she whispered again. "I couldn't bear being alone." Neville closed his eyes as he waited for his heartbeat to slow.

"It's alright, you just startled me." He wrapped her up in the blankets and his arms and held her close as they trembled together.

"Are you alright?" She asked. He nodded as he pressed his head against hers.

"I'm fine now, come on, back to sleep." He muttered as she nuzzled into his neck.

He awoke amongst creamy mounds and violet fields as his eyes adjusted to the gloom. Dust motes floated in the slit of sunlight as she sighed still deep in sleep, and he wondered whether this was what heaven felt like. He blinked away sleep before staring down at her. Her eyelashes sat like dark crescents against flawless pink cheeks. Every feature of her face was perfect, from the tiny freckles across the bridge of her nose to the slightly parted pink lips. He was completely enamoured. If snow white had been a real person, then Pansy was the personification of the story.

She lay there sleeping, cuddled into his warmth, and he felt like he had woken in a fairy tale. He glanced down and caught sight of her pyjamas. The silken green clung to every bump and curve as it disappeared beneath the cover. He pulled the covers up higher and just watched her as she slept. He kissed the creamy mound of her shoulder as he pulled her closer. Her body fit perfectly into his as he held her. He knew he was already hard, much the same as most mornings, but as much as he wanted to relieve himself, he just wanted to enjoy this quiet moment with her.

He watched as the line of sunlight moved across their skin as she slept. He dozed a few times, drifting in and out only to be woken by his roommates moving about. He slowly reached through his curtain and grabbed his wand before casting a silencing charm and a sticking charm to keep the curtain closed. The last thing he wanted was for one of his dormmates to try to wake him this morning. He closed his eyes again and dozed off.

He felt her move, rolling onto her back as he opened his eyes. She lay there, staring at the canopy above them as she held his arm to her.

"Good morning," He whispered as she turned to smile.

"Good morning," She replied. "Did you sleep ok?"

"Well, it was better after," He smiled. She nodded, her face turning serious as she turned back to the canopy again. "What about you?" he asked. She nodded.

"It was better," she sounded hesitant as she stared blankly at the ceiling above them

"But?" Neville asked.

"You'll think I'm a silly girl." She whispered as she avoided his eyes. He could see the tears building up ready to spill down her cheeks.

"Never!" He said as he stroked her shoulder.

"I just can't get Azkaban out of my head. The thought of it. It's like it's inside me and around me sucking the joy and happiness out of everything. Like I walked away from there and brought some home with me." The tears escaped. "I feel so cold and empty, and I can't shake it." She started to cry. "It's like a constantly sucking black hole that follows me from place to place. I had almost forgotten it until yesterday."

Neville watched as her careful mask crumbled before him. He held her close as he let her cry. He had never been to Azkaban, but he had felt the chilling grip of a dementor. Even though they didn't dwell at Azkaban any more, a dementors essence still lingered. There were certain places in the castle, where they had created a sort of vacuum where happiness and joy just couldn't touch.

"I feel so void of everything." She cried. He held her close and kissed her, he wanted to fill those empty places with every ounce of love he felt for her. He held her and stroked her hair as she kissed him back, hungry for the love. He covered her face in warm and gentle kisses, pushing away the tears as he stroked away the pain. He let his hand roam across her skin, feeling the heat rise as goosebumps rose across the surface. She held onto him so tightly as he kissed her as if she was afraid to let go and be consumed by the emptiness.

He took her breast in his hand and rubbed at her nipple, making her moan into their tight kiss. He moved his fingers the way he knew she liked, making her gasp and move beneath him. He pushed up and away from her, her eyes wide with surprise and uncertainty.

"Trust me," he whispered as she lay back watching him. She nodded as he pushed her top up, taking her small breast into his mouth. Her eyes fell closed as her mouth fell open. He could hear her desperate pants and was thankful he'd cast a silencing charm. He took her other breast in his hand, rubbing the hard pebble against his palm before tightening his fingers around it. She cried out as she pushed her fingers into his hair, holding him steady. She tightened her grip, making him gasp. She copied as he bit down onto the delicate flesh.

Her hands released him as she gripped onto the covers. He pulled her into his mouth as he threw his glance up to her face. Her cheeks were pink with the start of a flush as her chest rose and fell between them. He wanted more. He wanted her to forget the darkness and pain, to forget her name and how to breathe. His hand travelled lower, pushing under her silk shorts. He kept his eyes on her, waiting for her to tell him to stop. Her eyes remained closed as he continued to assault her nipple. He teased her with his fingers running along the downy hair. She writhed under him as he gently added more pressure until his fingers pushed into the warmth of her core. She stilled for a second as a shuddering breath escaped her. He paused before he started to move his fingers.

His mind flashed back to their date at the waterfall as she moved and bucked beneath him. It still wasn't enough. He pushed himself off her chest as he looked down at her as his fingers made her dance. Her watery eyes looked up at him as she fought with the pleasure his fingers were building. He smiled as he hooked his thumb into her shorts and pulled them down, exposing his hand.

She looked at him, her eyes wide with surprise as he settled lower on the bed. He moved his hand and bowed his head, his eyes meeting hers as he replaced his hand with his tongue. He parted the flesh allowing him to touch her most sensitive parts. He clamped his mouth over her and used the flat of his tongue to lick the length of her. He watched as her eyes closed as she sighed back into the bed. She tasted tangy and sweet and like nothing he had ever tasted before as his tongue moved around the velvety flesh. The skin was so soft as he swirled his tongue around. He tried stroking and tapping and sucking, listening to the noises she made as she shuddered and moved above him.

He pushed his fingers lower, sinking them into the delicate opening below. She cried out desperately as he pulled his fingers out. Then, without warning, he pushed them back in again, building up speed.

He would have to thank Ginny and Luna for being over-sharers another time.

He started a rhythm as he alternated before sucking and swirling. Before long, he felt her begin to shudder, her knuckles white and tightly twisted within the bed covers. He picked up the pace and listened as she crashed into the bed. He continued to stimulate her until her breathing slowed.

He collapsed onto the bed next to her after covering every inch of her body with kisses. He needed her to know how much he cared for her. He knew that for him it was too late for anything but the big word, but he wasn't going to say it, not yet. It was far too early for such a large gesture. He could barely admit it to himself yet. Despite how deeply he felt, he pushed it all into caring for her body and making her feel wanted.

She held her hair as she continued to breathe hard. He smiled at her smugly as she rolled her eyes. He pulled her close wanting to feel her skin against his own.

"Where did you learn that?"

"Luna and Ginny are over-sharers," He chuckled breathlessly.

"Remind me to thank them. Oh, Neville!" She sighed as he pushed his fingers back into her pyjama bottoms. He wanted to see her fall apart from up close. "Again?" She asked as the words whispered across her lips.

"Is that a problem?" He asked as he kissed her neck.

"Only as long as I can help." She gasped as she took his erection into her hands. He moaned as she palmed it, pulling the silky skin. He closed his eyes as he tried to concentrate on what his fingers were doing. He could hear her breathing quicken, and he tried to focus in on that as he tried to ignore what her expert hands did to him. He opened his eyes as they lay nose to nose. He could see her soul behind her mercurial eyes as she gazed into his. He watched as her eyelids faded closed as she pulled him in for a kiss.

She moved her hand, gaining a better angle making him groan. She sucked on his tongue as he twitched his fingers. Before he knew what was happening, they had become this writhing, pulsing organism where neither knew where one ended, and the other began. With every twitch and stroke of his fingers, she seemed to heighten the sensation around his cock. It wasn't long before he cried out.

He listened as she whispered encouragement as they crashed over the wave together. Staring into her eyes as they panted through their ecstasy almost brought him again. They lay entangled as they caught their breath. They smiled at each other as they held the other close. This was most definitely heaven, and he was willing to put up with any hell for another taste.


	28. In The Afterglow

They lay for a while in silence as they studied each other in greater detail. He carded his fingers through her hair, watching as the multicoloured strands glittered in the shaft of sunlight. She held his hands and played with his fingers, a look of wonder and delight on her face.

"Do you feel better?" He asked after a while. She smiled, her eyes glittering as she looked at him.

"I feel like a new woman," She smiled bashfully.

"I hope not, I liked the feel of the old one." She pushed him playfully before kissing him. He held her close and sighed as he touched her warm, soft skin.

"So are we going to get up today?" She asked with a smirk.

"I guess we should," Neville agreed. "People will start to talk if they don't see us."

"It's probably too late for that, the girls will notice that my beds empty. We both know how observant Hermione is," She rolled her eyes as she sat up, pulling her pyjama top back over her chest.

"True," He smiled as he "but that just takes away my incentive to get up now." He muttered as he snuggled back down under the covers.

"You need an incentive?" She asked as she straddled his hips.

"Even more so now." He said as he took her in. Her messed up hair and twisted pyjamas added to the vision. Usually so together and collected, it gave him a certain joy knowing that he had been the one to ruin her so thoroughly.

"How about I buy you an ice cream?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Surely that's my line?" He chuckled as he rubbed her legs.

"Yeah well, I'm richer than you are, and you can buy me something pretty."

"Pretty?" He asked with a smile. "Like what?" She shrugged

"Depends what I see, Might be a dress, might be some jewellery, might be some flowers." She smirked.

"And I get an Ice cream for my trouble?" He asked sceptically. She nodded. He pretended to think about it before he rolled over, throwing her off. He started to snore as he pretended to be asleep. He cuddled her to him, trapping her in his charade.

"Come on," She laughed as she tried to escape.

"So sleepy," he mumbled into her hair.

"I'll throw in a kiss,"

He sat up and looked at her before letting his lips meet hers. She pushed her fingers into his hair as she held him to her. The world melted away as he kissed her, taking in every sensation of her. He pulled away and winked before throwing off the covers.

She laughed as she pushed him playfully. He grabbed his wand and unstuck the curtain before peaking out. The room was empty.

"It's just occurred to me we may have a larger problem,"

"Oh?" She asked her face becoming serious.

"How are we going to get you to the girls dorms to get dressed?"

"That wont be a problem," She smirked as she pushed out of the bed, her endless legs flashing like fresh cream in the sunlight.

"I can't wait to see this," He said as he stepped out onto the stone floor.

An hour later they were showered, dressed and half-way to Hogsmeade with the sun just clearing the trees. They walked quietly hand in hand as they enjoyed the sunshine. It was another cloudless day, but there was a slight bite in the air which hinted at the approach of winter.

"So, How did you get up to the girls dorms without being seen?" Neville asked. She winked at him and smiled enigmatically.

"A girl has got to have her secrets," He shook his head and rolled his eyes as she remained tightlipped.

"Ok, a different question then. What's your favourite ice cream?" he asked as he pulled her hand close enough to kiss.

"Oh, we're playing that game again are we?" She asked with a grin "I like the question game." She thought for a moment and smiled "Mint chocolate chip" She said with a nod. "Fortesques makes it the best, it has large chunks of dark chocolate hidden in the greenest ice cream ever." She rubbed her stomach and licked her lips as they carried on walking. "Let me guess what yours is," She said as she narrowed her eyes to scrutinize him. "You're sweet and kind, nurturing and steadfast. Strong but not overpowering. I'm going to guess that your favourite flavour is… Strawberry." He grinned and shook his head. She pouted playfully, "Chocolate?" He shook his head again. She laughed and rolled her eyes. "Please tell me you're not one of those people that likes Vanilla?" He nodded his head.

"Guilty,"

"But why? There are so many other wonderful flavours, Vanilla is just the starting flavour,"

"I like the others, but vanilla is special. It's both simple and complicated. It goes with everything, and it takes a while to find the right one."

She narrowed her eyes sceptically again, but it melted away into a genuine smile as she shook her head.

"I guess that sums you up."

"What? Simple?" he laughed.

"No, finding the right one." She smiled bashfully as she pushed her hair behind her ear. He grinned as he kissed her hand again.

The trees swayed above and around them as they stuck to the track, soon the stone chimney's and pointed rooves came into sight. "So, as we're playing the questions game, can I offer an answer before it becomes a question? It's something that's always on my mind, and I just want to get the record straight."

"Oh, ok," He nodded curiously.

"The night of the battle," She started. "When the Dark Lord demanded we hand over Potter. It's always bothered me that I was the one who succumbed."

"You don't need to explain." He interrupted.

"I do! He had our families held hostage. When The dark lord promised us rewards, the rewards were our families unharmed." She looked down at the floor "I just need to get this off my chest."

"I do not blame anyone for their actions from the battle. War makes people do stupid things. You don't need to explain it to me." He comforted her with a squeeze of her hand. "And just so you know, I was going to ask something silly, like where is the furthest you've ever been?" He smiled at her sympathetically "but trust you to go for the jugular!"

She smiled for a moment before answering.

"Budapest, Hungary." She nodded "What about you?"

"London," He smirked.

"London?" She asked with a chuckle "You've never been outside of the UK?"

He shook his head. She shook her head in astonishment.

"Ok, so my question. If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you like to go?"

"I'd love to go to Japan," Pansy nodded with interest. "You?"

"I've always wanted to go to Prague but have never managed to get there. Their work in alchemy is unparalleled, plus I've heard the shopping is great!" She laughed

"I don't know much about the shopping, but I've heard it's a very beautiful city," Neville nodded "lots of history."

The village enveloped them out of the woods as the hustle and bustle of people hummed in the air. They stopped at the square before looking at each other.

"So where first?" Pansy asked.

"Well, as we missed breakfast, how about I treat you to the very best breakfast that money can buy?" Neville asked confidently.

"Sounds intriguing," Pansy murmured as she nodded cautiously.

"You just wait," Neville assured her as he pulled her off down one of the side streets. "Hurly-Burly's Noshery is just down here,"

"Noshery?" She asked with a quirk of her eyebrow. He paused midstep and looked at her. Pansy with her perfect hair, with her clothes that probably cost more than his whole wardrobe and with a sudden flash of clarity, felt unworthy.

"We can go somewhere else,"

"Stop, what just happened?" She asked as her eyes narrowed. "You just thought of something, and now we're not going? What's going on in that head of yours?" She asked suspiciously.

He looked at her and cringed as he tried to work out the words in his head. He looked down at his albeit new, faded trousers and cardigan and wondered what he had been thinking.

"It's nothing, I can take you somewhere better," He said awkwardly as he tried to turn them around.

"No, I want to have the best breakfast, you told me it's served at this noshery. I want to go there,"

"It's not that great, There are nicer places." He explained.

"Neville, What's going on?"

"it's not nice enough," He sighed "Not for you."

"Take your inverted snobbery and shove it, Longbottom!" She smirked as she pulled him forward towards the café. Neville let out a laugh as he let her pull him forward. He wondered what she would make of it when they got there.

"Yes, Miss!" He agreed with a quirk of his eyebrow. She shot him a glance that made him think of moans in a darkened room. He blushed as they continued to walk.

From the outside, Hurly-burly's looked like any other building in Hogsmeade, with it's pointed roof and tall thin chimney, it was the inside that Neville was worried about. The booths looked like they had been carved out of the walls as they appeared to be made of the same bumpy white plaster, almost like tiny prison cells. The bar ran the length of the café and was also made out of the same uneven mortar. It looked like what it was, a cheap 'greasy-spoon' café that had no thrills. He held the door open as Pansy stepped in. He watched her face as she took in the décor. She nodded as she pulled him in behind her.

"Do you just grab a booth?" she asked. He swallowed and nodded. She shrugged and slid in with her trademark feline grace. He nodded to the lady behind the counter who watched them with wrinkled, wizened features. She nodded back with a smile that was more of a grimace. Neville fell into the booth opposite and looked around, it smelled the way he remembered like stale gravy and cabbage, and he worried about Pansy's opinion. He smiled uneasily at her.

"So?" He offered as he handed her the menu, "What do you fancy?" She shrugged as she opened the little booklet. It began to sing, it's high pitched squeak filled the booth.

"We've got sausage and bacon, with all of the trimmings

We've got Salad and omelettes with all of the fillings,

We've got Yorkshires and gravy complete with mash.

We've got spam, and corned beef filled with the hash.

Steak, Stew, shepherds pie or potato with beans

Whatever you fancy, just say what you mean."

Pansy frowned with interest as she considered the request, then having made her decision spoke into the menu,

"Avocado on toast, and a black coffee," she paused before adding "please."

Neville snorted as he took the menu.

"A bacon and egg sandwich please, and a cup of tea." He said before the menu shot up and off towards the counter.

"Well that was novel," Pansy added with a smiled as she reached out to take his hands. "How did you find out about this place?"

"Ron's stomach has a mind of its own, it can smell out food at thirty paces." They both laughed. "What do you think?"

"I'm reserving judgement for when the food gets here," She smirked.

"I'm hoping you won't be disappointed."

"So far, so good, I think." She said as she squeezed his hands.

"So, questions." He said as he tried to ignore the butterflies wreaking havoc in his chest.

"Yes, questions." She replied as she prepared her shoulders with a grin.

"Favourite Quidditch team?"

"Slytherin," She smirked.

"Outside of school,"

"Wimborne Wasps, you?"

"Appleby Arrows," She nodded.

"Did you have any pets growing up, besides Trevor?"

Neville shook his head, "I always wanted a dog, but Gran would never allow it. You?"

"Don't laugh, I had a tiny potbellied pig called precious," she smirked.

"No, you didn't," Neville laughed.

"I did, he was tiny and ginger with black spots all over. One looked like an eyepatch. He was so cute, and I loved the ugly little thing." She laughed. "I think he's the reason I don't eat meat."

"I can understand that. I never had that problem with Trevor." He grinned "Precious? You called a pig Precious?" She laughed as she sat back.

"If you saw him you'd know why. He was the runt of the litter. He was so small and tiny with a smooshed up face, He was precious."

"Ok, erm. Oh, here's a good one, a bit deeper though." Neville said as he tried to straighten his face. "If you could change one thing about you, what would you change? I would change my teeth mostly before you ask." He leant forward as he waited for her to answer. She chewed on her lip as she thought, avoiding his eyes.

"That's a difficult one, Erm, a more generous chest would be nice," she blushed uncomfortably as she looked away.

If Neville had been drinking anything at that moment, he would have choked on it. Instead, he just stared at her and shook his head in disbelief.

"But why?"

"Do you not think they're small?" Neville saw the trap straight away and even if he agreed he would never say so.

"No!" he shook his head vigorously. "I think every inch of you is perfect," He said with a blush. She opened her mouth to say something when the wizened witch brought over the food. They said their thanks and the witch tottered off slowly.

He held his breath as Pansy inspected it. She seemed to nod in satisfaction before picking up a piece of the toast and eating it. Neville watched closely. He never liked avocado so didn't know what it should look like on toast. She chewed it slowly and nodded appreciatively.

"Well, looks like you were right, The elves at the castle can never get the avocado the way I like it." She smiled

He let out a sigh of relief before he picked up his sandwich. As usual, the egg was runny ad the bacon soft and salty. He devoured it without a second thought as he realised just how hungry he was. Pansy continued to eat daintily before sipping her coffee. She looked every inch the refined princess she was but looked content. He didn't think he'd seen that before. Like a false wall falling away. She smiled warmly as she tilted her cup to her mouth.


	29. The Power Behind The Throne

They pushed back out into the sunshine after Neville paid for the food. The sun beating down was wonderfully warm as Pansy took his hand. He took in a deep breath and felt the happiness in his bones. This is all he had ever wanted from a relationship. Hand holding, the occasional comment that brought a blush to his cheeks and a smile to his lips and a deep affection that warmed him down to his toes. He grinned at her and kissed the back of her hand again as she laughed back in reply. He was falling hard and fast, and he couldn't find a cell in his body that cared.

They headed back towards the main section of town where Hogwarts students seemed to fill every free space. Congregating in small clusters as they laughed and chatted animatedly. He felt a sudden sharp pain as he thought of his friends. He did miss seeing them and hanging around on the streets of Hogsmeade.

"I remember coming down with the other guys and hanging around by the fountain. It seems like so long ago now." He sighed as he watched a group splashing around in the round pool a the centre of the square.

"Who'd have thought it would be this busy?" Pansy muttered as she dodged a group of third years. Neville shook his head, he was surprised at the crowds too.

He thought it strange to see the village so busy, especially so soon after the war. Some businesses hadn't returned, and other buildings still bore battle scars despite the efforts of the community over the summer. It seemed incredible that all could seem so normal again. As if the world hadn't changed.

"I know I heard some of the girls in the common room talking about Christmas shopping the other day," Neville mentioned

"Already?" Pansy asked. Neville nodded as he too stepped to the side to avoid being stepped on by a fifth year. He heard the girls giggle as he walked passed and felt his face flame. He patted down his clothes and rubbed his face insecurely as they strolled on. "Are you alright?"

He glanced back to the girls who were still watching him walk away, before looking at Pansy. She looked concerned as he shook his head. "Have I got anything on my face or clothes?" He watched as she looked him over and shook her head.

"Nothing, Why do you ask?"

"Just some girls back there started giggling as we walked past."

"Don't worry, there's nothing wrong with you," She smirked as she squeezed his hand. "They're just being normal teenage girls.

"Are you sure?" He asked, and she nodded.

"They were giggling because you're fit." She smiled as she pushed the hair behind her ear.

"Fit?" He asked.

"Yes, fit as in sexy, darling." She smiled indulgently as she looked at him as if he had done something adorable.

"Really?" He asked sceptically.

"Really, News has probably gotten around about your washboard abs and generous wand." She tried to stifle a giggle but failed.

"Eurgh, not that again." He said as his neck started to heat. He rubbed at it with his spare hand.

"Yep. You've just got to own it. You're a hottie, and the girls are going to giggle and preen as you walk past hoping that you'll like what you see." She squeezed his hand and shrugged. "As I said the other day, You're a studmuffin." She giggled when she saw his face.

Neville shook his head, she was just being kind. He knew he would always be the dumpy, shy Gryffindor. And no heavy lifting or gardening would ever get rid of that. She laughed at him and shook her head. "I know you don't believe me, I can read you like a book. The next group of girls we walk past, I bet you a galleon that they react the same."

"That's not necessary," Neville tried to protest.

"There is absolutely nothing wrong with you. You know I would tell you if there was, right?"

He chuckled and nodded as his mind darted back to memories of her cutting remarks. "In painfully vivid detail, I'm sure,"

She nodded as they both laughed as they approached the crowd outside Honeydukes.

Neville noticed a group of girls outside and noticed as one by one, they turned to glance at him as their chatter stopped. He smiled at them as they passed and heard as they squealed when they thought he was out of earshot.

"Told you," Pansy smirked before she hit his arm.

"What was that for?" He asked with a chuckle as he rubbed at the injury.

"For smiling at other girls, I get very jealous," She smirked.

"You have got nothing to worry about." He smiled. "I only have eyes for you,"

"Good," She smiled as they reached a heaving Honeydukes.

Neville squeezed her hand again and smiled at the answering squeeze as they pushed in to the busy shop.

The bright colours and tantalising smells were a stimulation overload as they were engulfed in the crowd. Neville spotted Terry and Roger over the other side of the shop and waved at them as he pushed Pansy towards the counter. She hummed as she leant back into him as they looked at the jar-filled walls. It always astounded Neville just how many sweets there were in the world. There were jars filled with glowing red balls, green triangles and purple coated nuts. There were glassy lollypops of every description and rainbow coloured everything.

"So, what do you want?" he asked as he leant close to her ear. Partially in an attempt to be heard, but also because he wanted to smell her cherry-scented hair. The latter being arguably the nicest scent in the shop.

"Some sugared Butterfly wings please, and exploding bonbons, Oh and I said I would get some chocolate wands for Draco." She smiled as she reached into the pockets of her skirt. She pulled out some coins, but Neville shook his head.

"Put those away." He demanded. She smirked as she looked at him.

"Yes, Sir!" she agreed with a smouldering look. He smirked as he caught the eye of the harassed wizard behind the counter. After what felt forever and a long shopping list later, they left the shop.

"Well, I think we have enough to last for a while, what do you think?" He asked as he looked at the bag full of sweets in his hand.

"Maybe." She hummed "Now where would you like to go? Don't forget Dogwood's." She reminded him.

"We'll go there last, if they do have it, I'll want to get it straight back to the castle." She nodded in agreement "Where would you like to go? Is there anything you need?"

"Actually, would you mind if we visited Scrivenshafts? I need to get some more parchment and ink. I also need to send those wands to Draco,"

Neville nodded as they turned to head back into the direction of the quill shop.

"So what is Malfoy doing with himself these days?"

"He's the owner and editor of the daily prophet," Pansy smirked.

"Oh, I didn't know that. It makes sense, though. The amount of slanderous news articles seems to have decreased lately. Seems like he's doing a good job."

Pansy nodded thoughtfully before she spoke again. "After the whole propaganda scandal, Draco bought the company. It's an independent company now and can no longer be used at a propaganda machine by the ministry. Not that it needs it at the moment, with perfect Mr Potter training to be an auror." She smirked, and Neville saw some of the old Slytherin mischief poking out.

"I feel sorry for Harry. He's always been hounded by the press."

"With Draco in charge, I don't see that changing any time soon." Pansy laughed. "Poor guy!"

"Are we talking about Harry or Malfoy?"

"Both I think, They need to get their act together. I received a letter from Draco the other day, and it was practically all about Potter. I probably know him better than you do,"

Neville laughed at the thought.

"And what is Harry up to these days?"

"Draco was saying something about them bending the rules for Weasley and Potter and allowed them onto full duty without them having completed all their training. Apparently, he feels that it will put people's lives in danger."

"Knowing Harry, He'll argue with Shacklebolt and will take the full training. He doesn't like his name affording him any special treatment."

"That's not how Draco tells it." Pansy rolled her eyes. "He still thinks that Potter is an attention whore, but I think he's just jealous."

"So, doesn't being a journalist make him unpopular?" Pansy nodded and shrugged.

"It does, but I don't think he really cares any more. He managed to do something the rest of us purebloods dream of, he managed to get out to do what he wanted to do instead of following what his father wanted."

"So Lucius didn't want him to do it?"

"Oh definitely not, but after getting locked up in- well, you know where. It meant he didn't really have any power over the family any more. Narcissa was able to take over. Now there is a woman!"

"What do you mean?" Neville asked as he readjusted the bag in his hand.

"There's a woman who followed the rules and did as she was told and it all came good. She's the perfect pureblood wife who has power of her own. She was the main reason that Lucius was as successful as he was. No one liked him, He was too arrogant, too pompous. Lucius was the face but Narcissa, She was the charm."

"You sound in awe of her," Neville stated.

"Well, who wouldn't be? She's a formidable woman, I don't envy her, but I do admire her. The true power behind the throne."

"I don't think you'll have to worry about being the power behind the throne," He smirked and rolled his eyes, "Hell, you can have the throne if that's what you want?"

"Do you know how muggle families do it? Is the man the head?" Neville shrugged.

"You'd be better asking Hermione. I know Gran's the head of our family, obviously not by design." He sighed sadly as he thought of his parents.

"Oh, Neville. Don't be sad, let's change the subject."

"It's ok, it is what it is. From what Gran said, they were deeply in love and tackled everything as a team. I think Mum being an auror meant they were more like partners than Dad being the head of the family." Pansy nodded seriously as she hugged his arm. "The photos I have of them together, they look utterly besotted with each other. Even when I go to visit them, they're always together, holding hands like they remember their love" He smiled as he thought of them.

"That's lovely, Neville. Now you see, that's what I want. I want to be in a partnership where everything is equal. I don't think I'll ever be able to be one of those women who speak only when spoken to. It's not me. Both Daphne and Millicent have been betrothed to families they don't know, and it makes me feel ill."

Neville cringed at the thought of his Gran arranging a bride for him. He couldn't imagine marrying someone whom he had never met or had no connection with. He shook his head in sympathy before speaking.

"Ok, a slight change of subject and back to our game. Where would you like to see yourself in five years?" He asked as he let her step into the quill shop first.

He hadn't realised how noisy it had been outside, but now that they were in the cool air of the shop he realised that the noise level had dropped quite drastically.

"Let me think," Pansy said as she looked thoughtfully through the parchment selections and inks. Neville stepped away to look at some of the notebooks and writing tools.

A new range of quill had been launched, and a large and brightly coloured stand adorned one of the walls. The quills were made from dragon glass, hand-blown and twisted with different colours to create elaborate nibs. Some of them were imbued with cores like wands and charmed to create neater writing or other such improvements. They really were like works of art in their own right. He wondered how much they were, thinking of his own chicken scrawl handwriting.

"Oh, they're interesting," Pansy added as she stepped up behind him. "What are they?"

"Dragon glass quills," He replied as he looked at the swirling glass pens. She nodded, impressed before turning away to look at the art supplies. She smiled sadly as she looked at the multicoloured pastels. "Do you draw?" He asked as he followed her.

"I don't, no. Draco used to come in here every visit and stock up. He was always drawing. He was exceptional but as far as I'm aware he stopped after the battle. He hasn't touched it since. I guess there's too much to wade through before you can reach what you want to draw."

Neville nodded sadly as they ventured further into the shop. There were books towards the back, how-to books and artwork on the walls. Pansy looked at them and sighed. There were the dark works that Neville's eyes tried to skip over, too reminiscent of darker memories. Still, there were peaceful ones of mountains and clouds. A forest floor carpeted in bluebells and dappled in sunlight. The artists had enchanted them to move as they watched.

"They're very talented, aren't they?" Neville said as he kissed her shoulder. She nodded.

His eyes caught a range of pictures that were small and slightly hidden, their themes seemed to be mostly of tiny plants and animals done in a cute and unrealistic style. He smiled as one caught his eye. He picked one up before looking around to locate Pansy. When he was satisfied that she was too far away to notice, he made his way towards the counter to pay.


	30. Nothing That Breaks The Rules

"So that's where the lovely couple got to," A voice called as they left the quiet interior of the quill shop.

Pansy smirked and rolled her eyes as she turned.

"I told you, two idiots, I didn't need a chaperone." She argued as Blaise and Theo appeared.

"Maybe we're not here to chaperone you, Maybe we think that it's Neville that needs his virtue protecting?" Theo added with a waggle of his eyebrows.

Neville coughed as Pansy laughed.

"It's cute how you think I'm a danger to people." She replied.

"He's not wrong though, is he Pans?" Blaise added. "I'm surprised that Smith guy isn't singing Soprano for the Pentreath Opera company after what you did to him."

"Smith deserved everything he got, the fucking pervert!" She sneered at the mention of his name. Neville felt lost as he looked between the three former Slytherins. "But I have high hopes for Neville. He's a true gentleman." She smiled as she took and squeezed his hand.

"We'll be the judge of that," Blaise said smoothly. "Why don't we head to the brooms and grab a nice cold butterbeer?"

Neville looked as Pansy, and she frowned.

"We're on a date guys, Does it have to be today?" She asked.

"As you said that you have made it official and all, We feel we must step in and lay down some ground rules," Theo added apologetically. "Better to get it over with now, rather than later."

"It's alright, we can grab a drink," Neville offered.

"Are you sure? It was meant to be just us," Pansy said apologetically.

"It's fine, I should get to know your friends better anyway." Neville smiled what he hoped was an easy and open smile.

The two boys looked at each other and pulled a face. He wasn't sure whether it was a positive expression or not as they began walking towards the three broomsticks.

"So, have you been having fun?" Theo asked with a smirk as he stepped between Neville and Pansy, forcing them to let go of each other.

"We were," Pansy said with gritted teeth.

"Now, now," Blaise said as he held the door open for them all.

Predictably the inn was just as busy as the rest of the village. Neville winced at the noise level as they made their way towards the bar. There was a small area of counter left free that they could occupy as they waited for some seats to become available. The was one stool which Neville let Pansy occupy as they stood waiting to order. The two Slytherins swapped glances again. Pansy tutted as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"It's alright, They're only doing this to look out for you. I'd do the same for my friends too if it wasn't Hermione," He smirked as he tried to make her smile.

"But it was supposed to be just the two of us."

"If they're satisfied we can go off and do our own thing still, we still need to get to the post office and also Dogwoods, so we're not done yet." He smiled as he stroked her shoulder. She looked slightly mollified as he turned his attention back to the bar. Madam Rosemerta came swishing towards them, her eyes all for Blaise. She fluffed her hair as she stood.

"What can I get you?" she asked, her smile winder enough you could see every tooth.

"Four butter beers please, and one for yourself." Blaise offered with a wink as he pushed some coins towards her. Rosmerta smiled and winked back before she disappeared to make their drinks.

"I think she likes you," He heard Theo offer.

"I'm sure she likes my money too," Blaise said cooly as the older women appeared again, four butter beers floating towards them.

"Thank you, keep the change," Blaise said with the same charm as before.

"Thank you very much" Madam Rosemerta replied before she sashayed down to another group of students.

Blaise and Theo turned back to them simultaneously as though it had been choreographed.

"So, Where the hell were you at breakfast this morning?" Blaise asked, "So help me, Salazar, if you've broken the only rule which we've set in stone!"

"You're such a fucking hypocrite, Zabini!" Pansy said as she stood up, Neville watched as she squared up to the taller wizard without intimidation. "How many people have you shagged? So many that you ran out of women and started on the men?"

"Keep your voice down, You're in public now, which means that you should at least be pretending to abide by your parent's rules. No emotional outbursts remember? And no swearing!" Blaise warned as he looked around. They were lucky, the noise level was so high that no one even batted an eyelid at them.

"He's right Pans," Theo urged "Your parents are serious this time."

Neville watched as Pansy rolled her eyes before falling back onto her stool.

"Now, Where were you this morning?"

"In Neville's bed." She said with a smirk.

"Fuck!" they both said with feeling. Neville frowned as their eyes moved to him. Theo's weren't hostile, but neither man looked all together friendly.

"Are you still, y'know? Intact?" Theo asked awkwardly as he waved in her general direction.

"Yes, yes! I'm still innocent and pure. The physical embodiment of virginal beauty." Pansy sighed as she rolled her eyes. "Do you remember what happened after Marcus? As if I want to go back to St Mungos for them to check again. I remember how degrading and painful that was the first time thank you very much!"

Neville swallowed as she repeated something from one of her painful memories. He squeezed her shoulder, and she offered him a thin-lipped smile that didn't meet her eyes. He held newfound respect for the two wizards looking out for their friend.

"Look, I don't want to do anything with Pansy that could get everyone in trouble. When you told us the rules last night, I was surprised, but I'm going to do everything I can to stick to them." He said honestly, his cheeks blazing as he thought about what they had done.

"I had one of my nightmares," Pansy explained as she physically deflated in front of them. "I just wanted some comfort from my boyfriend." She explained as she grabbed his hand. "We slept in, it was no big deal. We just both had bad nights sleep." Neville nodded. It was enough of the truth that he didn't feel bad.

"That's it? Nothing else?" Blaise asked as he narrowed his eyes.

Pansy winked with a smirk "Nothing that breaks the rules,"

Blaise continued to look at them with his eyes narrowed.

"You're playing a dangerous game Pans, people noticed that you weren't at breakfast this morning. If you keep flouting the rules, your parents will find out, and then any freedoms you do have will be gone. You need to be more careful, both of you." Blaise warned.

"Yes, Father," Pansy muttered with an eye roll before passing Neville his butterbeer. Neville took it and smiled at Blaise as a thank you.

"You can be such an annoying bitch sometimes!" Blaise smirked as he rolled his own eyes.

"It's one of my redeeming characteristics," Pansy smiled sweetly before sipping on her own beer. As she lowered the glass, Neville noticed she had a froth moustache. They all laughed as she wiped it off with her hand.

"So, What have you been up to?"

"Neville took me to this- what did you call it Neville? A noshery for brunch and then we went to Scivenshafts."

"A noshery? Wait, what?" Theo asked. Neville cleared his throat as he was about to explain.

"It's called Hurly-burley's noshery, it's by the fountain, the menu sings, and you order what you want, It great," Pansy explained as she squeezed his hand.

"It's no thrills though,"

"Yeah, It's not much to look at," Pansy agreed.

"We might have to take a look in." Theo nodded before his eyes landed on the bags at Neville's wrist.

"And what have you been buying?"

"Sweets from Honeydukes mostly, and some parchment and ink from Scrivenshafts," Pansy explained. "We got Draco some chocolate wands,"

"Great, that saves us a job." Blaise rolled his eyes as he sipped his beer. Neville looked at his and sipped at it. He didn't want to tell them that he wasn't a fan of butterbeer, or alcohol at all truth be told. Butterbeer tasted to sickly sweet for his tastes, like fizzy butterscotch with a bitter alcoholic aftertaste. He tried not to pull a face as he pulled the glass from his mouth. Pansy looked at him and raised her eyebrow; he knew that she had noticed.

"So what are you two doing for the rest of the day? Because I know you are not following me around!" Pansy warned as she sipped her drink again.

"We came down to get supplies, and we just happened to stumble across you both," Blaise said with a smile. His dark eyes swept over them both before it landed on Neville's beer. He smirked. "Something wrong with your beer, Longbottom?"

"My beer? No, It's great, thank you."

"You've not drunk much, are you sure?" Blaise asked again.

"I'm just a slow drinker," He smiled uneasily.

"I don't think he likes it," Pansy offered as she took the pint glass from him.

"Then we must get you something else, What would you like?"

Neville winced awkwardly as he rubbed his neck. He shrugged as he looked at all the bottles behind the bar and the pumps on the front.

"I don't know, I'm not a big drinker, to tell you the truth."

"Not a drinker?" Theo snorted before he downed his beer and placed the glass on the bar. "That will change now that you're going out with Pansy, We might need to educate you in the art. Won't we Blaise?"

Blaise smiled, and Neville felt uneasy. There was something predatory in his dark gaze that could mean anything from sex to murder.

"I say we break him in gently."

"You know that this is our date, don't you?" Pansy added as she put down her empty glass and took a sip from Nevilles. She winked at him. He tried not to feel nervous, as Theo and Blaise shared a look.

"So, do you like fruity drinks, Longbottom?" Blaise asked.

"Or do you prefer something with a richer flavour."

"I honestly don't know," Neville offered. He didn't want to admit that the only alcohol he usually drank was a glass of red wine with dinner. He wanted to impress her friends, and it might be nice to spend some time with some lads for a change.

"I say we try him on something strong, you know the saying."

"Good call. We wouldn't want him so drunk that he can't make his way back to the castle. What a bad way to end a date."

"What saying?" Neville asked nervously.

"Beer before liquor, never sicker. Liquor before beer, never fear."

"You don't have to drink anything, Neville," Pansy added. Neville noted that she was halfway through his beer and took a deep breath.

"What about some Dragons Barrel?" Theo offered. Blaise nodded in agreement.

"What do you say, Longbottom? Want to learn how to drink?" Blaise asked with an arched eyebrow. Neville looked at Pansy and then back to the former Slytherin lads.

"You don't have to," Pansy repeated.

"I'll try one," Neville replied bravely.

"Well done, Longbottom!" Theo added as he slapped Neville on the back. Blaise smirked as he caught Madam Rosmerta's eyes again.

Neville watched as four glasses of a deep amber liquid were poured out in front of them.

"This is one of Pansy's favourites," Blaise added as he picked up a glass and offered it to Neville. "It's Dragon Barrel Brandy. Double distilled in Dragon scale wrapped French Limousine oak barrels and left to age for 55 years."

Neville sniffed the liquid and could tell it smelled expensive and warm. He watched as the surface seemed to fizz as though it was already warm.

"Mmmm," Pansy hummed as she sipped the liquid. "Try it, Neville. Tell me what you think."

Neville lifted the glass to his lips and felt as the warm liquid touched his lips. It was a strange sensation o both being hot and cold at the same time. He took a small amount into his mouth and let the liquid roll around his tongue. It burned and tingled, but he was surprised at the fruity notes that seemed to sill his mouth and nose.

"I think he likes it," Theo said as they all stared at him.

"He should do, he has good taste," Pansy said smugly as she sipped her own.

Neville tried some more and got hints of mango and cloves and the tang of metal. It was the strangest tastes he had ever tasted, but Theo was right, he did like it.

He nodded as he licked his lips.

"So, lesson number one in your education. Pansy knows what she's talking about when it comes to liquor."

"No! Lesson number one is that the older it is, the better it is, but only if it's aged in a barrel." Blaise corrected.

Neville nodded with interest before taking another swing of the warm amber liquid. The taste seemed to continually evolve as he drank. He could feel the heat building in his legs and arms as he smiled at Pansy. Pansy smiled back before leaning into him. The scent of her filled his nostrils and changed the taste of the brandy again. Before he knew it, his glass was empty, but the heat in his cheeks and neck remained along with a heaviness in his limbs.

"He liked it." The smiled smugly. "Now, what to try next."

"I propose Knotgrass cherry mead." Pansy offered.

"You can get flavoured mead?" Neville asked innocently. He watched as the three Slytherins smiled at each other.

"Yes, Longbottom. There is a whole world of alcohol that you have let to experience."

"Not today, though?" He asked nervously.

"Not today, no. We'll have to get some for up at the castle. Have ourselves a little party." Theo offered.

"That's not a bad idea, Theo," Pansy nodded as she took Neville's empty glass and put it next to her own.

"I know because I thought of it!" Theo offered with a smirk.

"Right, Cherry mead it is!" Blaise announced as he leant over to order again. Neville watched with interest as a deep red liquid was given to him this time.

"Let see what you think of this one," Theo smiled as he held out the glass to Neville. Neville took it and took a deep breath. He hoped that he wouldn't regret this date tomorrow.


	31. Outraged

Neville couldn't keep the smile from his face as they trudged back up to the castle. He could feel the liquor running through his veins, slowing his responses, but he didn't care. Pansy in her summery dress and her slightly flushed cheeks walking beside him was all he wanted. He was pretty sure that he was at the very least tipsy and at the very worst drunk.

Theo and Blaise had left for the castle already leaving them to finish their final jobs. They had a couple more glasses of the brandy before visiting the post office. Pansy sent the chocolate wands to Draco, and then they had scoured the shelves in Dogwoods and Deathcap, but there had been no sign of the Bulgerwort.

Annoyingly, the wizard behind the counter didn't seem to know if or when they'd be getting any in. He thought that they had managed to appear at least semi-sober when they asked. However, it occurred to him that he might need to go back in when he hadn't been drinking.

He concentrated on walking in a straight line just to prove to himself that he could. The world seemed to veer off to the left, causing him to stumble, and pull Pansy with him. She stumbled too before breaking down to giggle. She covered her mouth as she shook, her eyes squeezed closed. He held her tight as he started to laugh too, the sight of her drawing the laughter up from his belly.

"You alright?" He asked through his chuckles. She looked at him. Her eyes widened, and her face sobered, and he wondered what she had seen. His own face straightened instantly too as he looked into her deep, beautiful eyes.

"I'm completely alright, so utterly alright with you right now, totally right." She babbled as she stepped towards him, scooping his face up in her hands.

She pressed her lips to his, and he could taste the brandy on her lips, smooth and warm. He moaned into the kiss as he pushed her back against a nearby tree. She grunted as her head bumped against the bark before groaning into the kiss. That grunt was everything, spurring him on as they explored each other's mouths, passion building between them like lightning warming the thick blood in their veins.

He pushed his free hand into her hair and tightened his grip making her groan again. He held her at the waist; half pushing her against the rough bark of the oak. Pansy pushed her arms up and around his neck, holding him to her as they kissed long and deep. Forcing him close as if he would ever want to escape.

He could hear his heartbeat booming between his ears like a drumbeat through syrup as he felt his cock twitch in his jeans. He wanted her unlike anything else, like two magnets forced apart.

His hands dropped to stroke the bare, milky skin below the hem of her skirt. She giggled and moaned as he pushed his thigh between hers. She pulled away breathlessly as she looked up into his eyes.

"I do believe that I've been a bad influence on you." She smirked as she kissed him again. "Who knew you could be this forceful?"

"I don't know. I kinda like being a bad boy for once,"

"I like it too, drunk and fondling a girl in the woods. What would Gran say?"

"Stuff Gran, what would Hermione say?" they laughed as he stole another kiss.

"Very true, She would be outraged, I'm sure. We'll probably find out when we get back" Pansy said as she twirled his hair in her fingers.

"So would you say this has been a successful date?" Neville asked coyly.

"Despite my gatecrashing idiot friends, I would say it's been excellent."

"I believe we might be missing something though." He swayed slightly, "You told me not to let it happen again, so I was determined."

Pansy dropped her arms and frowned as Neville rummaged around in the bags.

"What are you talking about, Neville?" She pushed a stray strand of hair behind her ear as she watched him.

"I got you a present, It not pretty but I thought you'd like it all the same." He held out the small envelope to her. Her frown deepened as she took it from him.

"You know you didn't have to get me a gift? I was joking." Neville shrugged as he watched her delicate fingers slide underneath the lip of the envelope.

"I saw it and thought of you,"

She slid the envelope off and looked at the painting within. She started to laugh as her eyes filled with tears.

"Does it look like him? It sounded exactly like your description. He even has the eyepatch splodge." Neville asked nervously.

"Oh, Neville. It looks exactly like him. It's wonderful! Where did you get it? Scrivenshafts?"

Neville nodded and accepted the kiss she placed on his cheek.

"I thought you'd like it."

"I love it!" She whispered as she pulled him in for another deep, earth-shattering kiss before releasing him.

"Sorry that it's not something pretty," He offered.

"Definitely not pretty but perfect," She snorted as she gazed at the painting again.

He took her hand as they began to walk back towards the looming castle and felt a great sense of calm as she squeezed his fingers.

The common room was swarming, as it was most Saturday nights when they stumbled through the doorway. Eyes turned to them, and Neville grinned to a few as he squeezed Pansy's hand. She giggled as she followed him towards Hermione and the others who sat by the piano. They dropped down onto the sofa after Theo rolled his eyes and shifted to one of the armchairs.

"Oh good lord," Hermione cursed as she looked at them. "What in god's name have you two been up to? Pansy, you have twigs in your hair." Hermione offered awkwardly. Neville started to chuckle as he picked out the leaves. Pansy shook with laughter as she tried to help.

"Outraged," They both agreed when another bout of laughter stole them away.

"This may be our fault," Blaise muttered. "We decided that Neville needed an education,"

"An education in what?" Hermione said suspiciously.

"Liquor," Theo added with a frown "Pansy usually handles it better, but I think they've had more."

Pansy cried out as she desperately tried to stop giggling. Neville's giggles slowed as he pulled her close. He smiled as their lips met. She calmed slightly as she giggled into the kiss before running her tongue over his bottom lip. He groaned as he pulled her closer. He reached to run his hands through her hair when his hand met thin air.

He opened his eye as he tried to reach for her again, his slow mind struggling to understand why she wasn't there any more.

Pansy sat looking confused at the other end of the sofa. Her hair tousled, and her eyes narrow in a frown.

"What?" He asked her as he pointed to the sofa next to him.

"That is quite enough of that!" Hermione huffed as she waved her wand at them. "There will be no snogging while we are trying to study. If you want to do that, then find somewhere else."

"Sorry Mione," Neville said with a smirk as Pansy moved closer again.

Neville threw his arm around her shoulders before threading his fingers with hers. Their eyes met again, and they shared a sweet secret smile before she turned and rested her head on his shoulder. He placed his head on hers as he watched the others working. He could feel the warm buzz of the alcohol in his muscles as he closed his eyes. The weight of her next to him made him feel so snug and content. He pulled her closer, smiling when she hummed and squeezed his arm affectionately.

"Eurgh, get a room you two, It's turning my stomach just watching you carry on," Blaise huffed.

"We've got one, you just happen to be in it." Pansy retorted.

"Annoying little bitch," He shot back.

"Now, now. Sticks and stones may break my bones," Pansy muttered sleepily.

"But whips and chains excite you, Yes yes. Go back to sleep," Blaise interrupted with frustration.

"Watch out, Longbottom!" Theo teased. Neville smirked without opening his eyes. "She's a kinky one!"

"What's wrong with that? They excite me too," He admitted with a laugh as he kissed the top of Pansy's head.

"Neville!" Hermione shot. He cracked his eyes open to look at them. Hermione did indeed look outraged, but the two wizards smirked in good-humoured surprise. He chuckled.

"Sorry Mione," His eyes felt so heavy, and he felt so warm and comfortable. He could feel sleep sucking at him, pulling him down, and he couldn't fight it.

The corridor seemed to stretch for miles as the moon cast twisted and sinister shadows. He looked around, pointing his wand into the dark creases, expecting them to jump out at him at any time. He knew they were hunting him, and knew they were close, but he needed to get everyone out first before he could escape. He knew this place so well. He knew that he'd been here before.

He turned when he could hear their taunting laugher right behind him. They seemed to scuttle down the hallway like beetles, chasing him through the halls. He felt the hot breath on the back of his neck and froze. Someone was holding his hand. He turned and found no one there but felt the heat and pressure in his own none the less.

Great comfort came from knowing he wasn't alone even if it was an invisible hand.

He heard the flash and the crackle as every muscle tensed. The teeth in his head wanted to shatter at the pressure biting down. Determined not to cry out or yell. He refused to satisfy them. Lava scorched his marrow and ignited his nerves as he wanted to cry. Anything to make the pain stop. He wanted his mind to burst free so that he could distance it from the agony. He tried to breathe, but there was a weight on his chest, holding him down. The blinding pain that eclipsed his thoughts was all-encompassing.

Neville felt hands on his shoulders, shaking him. He gasped as he sat straight up as though escaping from a drowning pool.

Tears escaped and rolled down his cheeks as he looked around the darkened room.

Fear caught him in the chest when he didn't recognise where he was. He went to stand, but a hand on his shoulder made him pause.

"Neville? Honey?"

He let out a shaking breath and relaxed.

"Yep," he answered as he wiped the tears away from his face with his sleeve.

"Another nightmare?" She asked, sounding meek and timid. He nodded for a moment before he realised she couldn't see him.

"Yeah," he breathed.

"Me too," She answered. He let out a sigh and sat back, pulling her towards him. He pulled out his wand and flicked it

"Accio Blankets" He commanded.

"What do you dream about?" She asked as the blankets covered them. He held her tight as he closed his eyes again. He could feel her shaking against him and redoubled his efforts to keep her warm and secure.

"The Cruciatus curse and the Carrows. They chase me through a corridor. And then torture me, like my parents." He swallowed as he tried to forget the images.

"Oh, Neville. That's awful." She said, and she gripped his arm tightly. "Is it always the same, or does it change?" She asked, eventually.

"Up until now they're almost always the same, This one I could feel you holding my hand, so I wasn't as scared," He admitted.

He kissed her forehead and pressed her into the sofa, protecting her from the room. "What do you dream of?"

"Being in my cell at Azkaban," Her voice sounded hollow and far away as if she was still in her dream. "The tide hits the side and floods the cell with freezing cold water. But then the ocean just keeps pouring in, and the cold fills my bones like ice. It burns. I'm shivering, and I can't stop, can't escape the cold. I'm chained to the floor, and the water just keeps pouring through the window like sludge."

He stroked her hair as he listened. Sometimes talking about it could make it disappear.

"As it pours in it starts to harden around me and I can't move, can't breathe. Like there's a weight on my chest. Then the water turns to tar and it continues to pour in, and I can't get away."

She shuddered against him, and he held her close.

"Nothing can hurt you while I'm here. I won't let it!" He kissed her forehead again "I'm right here, and you're safe." He soothed

"Neville?" She asked quietly as she pulled at his clothes.

"Mmm?" He asked

"You're the best thing that ever happened to me." She whispered into the dark.

"I feel the same about you." He replied tenderly as he tried to make out her outline in the dark. She yawned before pulling him close and nuzzling into his chest.

"Don't leave me." She whispered as her breathing evened out.

Neville sat and stared into the black and pushed his free hand through his hair as he cursed. He knew that something was going to come along and ruin this for them, it was their luck. Well, it was his luck. Nothing that went right ever lasted for very long. As he closed his eyes and breathed in her scent. He knew that regardless of what was down the road, it was going to near enough impossible for him to leave Pansy Parkinson alone.


	32. From Two Sides

Wednesday brought rain and wind as it howled against the tower. Several times Neville thought he felt the building sway as he was trying to tighten his tie. He walked out of the dorms after sharing a glare with Stephen and Oliver.

They had been blissfully quiet since the incident in the corridor with Pansy and actively avoided both of them now. Neville felt cheerful as he waited for a couple of girls to pass him. They glanced at him and smiled warmly as they passed. He smiled back and then watched as they threw glances over their shoulder. It was strange getting so much attention from girls. It was nice, but it made him uncomfortable now that he and Pansy were together. He almost wished that he did have something on his face.

Pansy stood at the bottom of the stairs waiting for him along with Hermione. They both smiled as he arrived.

"Good Morning, ladies." He offered as Pansy leant forward and kissed his cheek. He grinned and kissed her lips briefly before throwing a look at Hermione, who just rolled her eyes. "Did you both sleep well?" he asked as he tried to mollify the curly-haired witch.

"I've had better nights. I thought the rain was going to smash through the windows at one point." She complained.

"Were you cold?" Pansy asked Hermione "I was freezing, and my heating charms didn't touch my toes."

"Yeah, you can tell that summer is almost over,"

"Don't say that," Neville whined as they started down the stairs to breakfast. "Where are Theo and Blaise?"

"They went to the owlery, they're still trying to organise the party for after the Halloween feast next week. Apparently, they're trying to arrange something really special." Pansy rolled her eyes as they reached the bottom of the staircase.

"I wonder why that is?" Hermione asked sarcastically as she threw a look at Pansy.

"Am I missing something?" Neville asked. Hermione opened her mouth to say something, but Pansy interrupted.

"I think they just want to have this great party before we all have to leave and join the real world." Pansy glared at Hermione who rolled her eyes.

"Oh, right. Makes sense." Neville muttered as he watched the two girls. He would have to speak to Hermione about it when Pansy wasn't around.

They wandered towards the great hall, the smell of breakfast floating out to them. Neville's stomach growled, drawing Pansy's attention. She smirked as she glanced down at his stomach.

"Hungry?"

"Ravenous," He replied as he pulled her close. She giggled as he poked her in the side.

"Neville," She protested playfully.

He stopped just in time to see Hannah rush past them towards the dorms. She kept her head down and avoided eye contact as she scurried along the corridor.

"She's not so brave now, is she?" Hermione added as they entered into the great hall.

Neville glanced back to where Hannah had gone. Since their run-in with McGonagall, both Hannah, Stephen and Oliver had kept their distance. Since Stephen had tried to come on to Pansy, they had even kept their distance from each other. He wasn't sure whether separating them had made them more or less of a threat now. He thought on it as he followed Pansy to a spare seat with Ginny and Luna as usual.

"Morning, oldies," Ginny grinned as they sat down, "Everyone alright?"

"We were just talking about the eighth year blow out after the Halloween feast. You're both coming, aren't you?" Pansy asked as she picked up a croissant. Neville smiled as he reached for the toast, grabbing a couple of sausages and eggs as their conversation continued.

"If you can get us in, we're there!" Ginny said enthusiastically. "Have you gotten around the age line yet?"

Pansy and Hermione looked at each other and smirked.

"We might have a few ideas up our sleeves, but we've got to test them first," Hermione said as she stirred her porridge.

"I hope they keep the eighth year going," Luna added dreamily. "It would be nice to spend another year here."

"So what are you doing when you leave?" Ginny asked.

"I'm probably going to join the Aurors, Ron and Harry keep hounding me to fill in the application form," Neville frowned before taking a bite out of his toast.

"I thought you wanted to get into Herbology, Neville?" Luna asked.

"I do, but there's still so much rebuilding needed to be done. I'll maybe try and help as much as I can and then leave. You never know, I might be really good at it."

"I'm still just thinking of the uniform," Pansy said dreamily causing Hermione to choke on her Tea.

"You alright, Mione?" Neville asked.

"She's fine, she's just thinking of Ron in his perfectly pressed uniform" Pansy smirked.

"Eurgh, please don't, that's my brother!" Ginny frowned and shook her head.

"What about you, Hermione?" Pansy asked with a smug smile. "What will you do once you leave.

"I've been offered a position in the care of magical creatures department within the ministry. Mostly due to my work with S.P.E.W, I think."

"Oooh, lovely. You may yet discover the Crumple-Horned Snorkack." Luna said brightly as she leant forward to see Hermione.

"The what?" Pansy asked with a frown.

"The Crumple-Horned Snorkack, It's an elusive creature that my father believes lives in Sweden. Their numbers are very limited, no one's ever seen one.

Pansy frowned in confusion for a moment. "If no one has ever seen one, how do you know that they exist?"

"Historical records and written eyewitness accounts. My father went to Sweden a couple of years ago but wasn't able to find one."

Pansy went to ask more but noticing Neville shake his head minutely, she stopped.

"Yes, I'm sure there will lots of learning curves for everyone once we leave," Hermione said diplomatically as she threw a sceptical glance at Luna.

There was a screech from the roof as the owls made their appearance.

"Oh, Post," Luna said happily.

Neville would never get bored of watching all the different coloured owls swooping in with letters and parcels. He missed seeing the great snowy owl drop down to Harry. Another casualty of war.

It was rare he ever got anything, just a weekly letter from his Gran letting him know how his plants were fairing. She didn't even update him about his parents any more as there wasn't much she could tell him. Sometimes she would send receipts through by accident and Neville quietly worried whether she was losing her marbles.

He watched happily as the others got their post. Ginny got a pack of homemade goodies which he knew instantly were from Molly, whilst Luna received a copy of the quibbler and a letter from her dad.

Hermione plucked the daily prophet from the owl's leg before putting the money in its pouch on the other and rolled her eyes at the small bouncy owl who zoomed around her head.

"Pig, just give me the letters," She said with a growl. The tiny owl dropped them, narrowly missing her porridge. He recognised Harry and Ron's handwriting instantly. He took another bite of his toast as he looked at Pansy. She smiled as she opened the first of hers.

"Draco writes and yes. It's all about Potter again."

"That's a coincidence, He's writing all about Malfoy too," Hermione smirked. "Some things will never change."

"What do they say?" Neville asked.

"Well, Harry said that they did a charity drive yesterday to promote the new Auror intake and to raise money for the war orphans. He says it was a resounding success until one of the hippogriffs got spooked and started to cause havoc. He was pushed in the way of a charging one and broke his arm, but he managed to stop it from trampling on some children, including Teddy."

"Now for Draco's take on it," Pansy said with a roll of her eyes. Neville held his hand out for the newspaper as Pansy read. "Oh Merlin, the boy has it bad!"

"Dear Pansy, I am well, and I have finally eaten my way through the chocolate wands you kindly sent. If you feel inclined to send more to your favourite friend, then please do not fight the urge. Yesterday was another Perfect Potter publicity day."

"I love the alliteration" Ginny nodded before smirking.

"I can practically hear him sighing at this point." Pansy chuckled as she moved down the letter. "Looking ridiculous in his new Auror uniform which he isn't even qualified to wear yet! The man looked like a clown, and he still hasn't done anything to calm that crow's nest he calls hair. He made sure his scar was on full display, though. So very like Potter."

"I think he looks very smart," Neville said as he held up the paper. An image of Harry warding off an angry hippogriff whilst protecting some terrified children played out on the front page. The headline read "Potter's Passionate Protection Persists."

"He really loves his alliteration, doesn't he? He's going to run out of P words soon." Ginny chuckled as she spied the picture. "He could have used Harry's Hilarious Hippogriff Hijinks."

They all laughed.

"Or Hero Harry Hustles Hippogriff," Neville offered.

"Good one Neville," Luna said as she giggled

"Very good, however back to the important matter at hand. His uniform! I can see you in and out of that uniform, I wonder what other words I can think of beginning with N?" Pansy smirked, Malfoy's letter remaining forgotten in her hands as she looked at him with her come-to-bed eyes. She leant closer and whispered "Longbottom Lover's Lacy Legs, or Neville's Naked Naughtiness Now" He blushed and smiled.

"Pansy's Perversions Persist Precariously" Hermione shot sarcastically. Pansy smirked and chuckled as she reluctantly pulled away from him.

"What else does Draco say?" Luna asked.

"Oh yes, erm." She paused as she scanned the letter again. "Here we are, Perfect Potter always manages to find the right place at the right time. And I'm sure it was his idea to get the bloody hippo-gits when he knew that I would be head journalist on this story. Stupid bloody turkey-horses, they are inherently evil and will attack without provocation."

"He would say that after his run-in with Buckbeak," Hermione said sourly.

"He then goes on to complain about him some more, says he breaks his arm on purpose just to look dashing. A small note about Ron looking semi-competent as he handles the crowds. Well, that was nice of him." Pansy chuckled.

"Someone needs to lock the two of them in a room, they'll either die together, or they'll come out married," Hermione said with a shake of her head.

"I see we are talking about our favourite snake and the famous lion?" Theo asked as he and Blaise arrived. They pushed in next to Hermione as they greeted everyone. Neville nodded before looking back down at the newspaper.

"The newspaper article seems pretty level headed towards the whole thing. He's done well to make it sound neutral." Neville added with an approving nod. "I'm impressed."

"Yeah, That's Draco. He always was good at bull-" She stopped as she looked at one of the other letters.

Neville knew from the clenched jaw and the white knuckles that she had received some bad news. Her whole posture changed as she gripped the page as though her life depended on it.

"Pansy? Are you alright?" Ginny asked as they all watched her. He noticed as her cheeks drained of colour and tears appeared in her eyes. She cleared her throat and nodded before talking.

"Please, excuse me," She muttered as she stood up and left the great hall.

Neville exchanged glances with Theo and Blaise before turning to Ginny, Luna and Hermione. They all shared a look that said they didn't know what was going on. Neville stood up to follow, forgetting his food as the dread built up in his stomach.

As he walked the infernally long stretch between where they had sat and the end of the hall, he considered all the things that the letter could have contained. But every thought he had seemed to come back to family matters. He knew that the letter must be from her family.

The corridor was empty as Neville looked both ways. He cursed under his breath as he tried running one way and then the other. Pansy had disappeared. Neville stood for a moment as he tried to figure out where she could have gone. Had she returned to the dorms or had she gone to the library? He thought the latter unlikely. He wondered whether she had gone to the greenhouses. He looked out onto the grounds and shook his head. Looking at the weather, he didn't think the greenhouses were likely either. He needed to borrow a girl. He went to turn around and almost collided with Luna.

"Luna, perfect. I need a girl." Luna smiled at him in her dreamy way.

"Of course, Neville. How can I help?"

"I need you to pop to the loo," he said without further explanation.

"Am I looking for Pansy?" She asked with a tilt to her head. He nodded. "come on then," She said as she started towards the nearest bathroom.


	33. Ultimatums

"She's not in there," Luna said as she reappeared.

"You're sure?" He asked as he tried to look over her head.

"I know what I'm looking for, Neville. There's no one in there but me."

"If shes not in there, where else could she be?"

"Some people like to go to the astrology tower," Luna offered.

"Maybe," He replied reluctantly, the astrology tower didn't feel like a place she would think of.

"Or a secret alcove or nook?"

"That's not a bad idea." He said as he went to turn. "Could you try the Astrology tower?"

"But, Neville. Lessons are about to start. She may have gone to Muggle Studies already."

Neville frowned as he toyed with what he was going to do. He turned this way and that unable to make the decision.

"Come on, let's go to class. Pansy's a big girl, she can look after herself for a little while."

"But. No, She's-" He stammered as Luna took his arm and started leading him to Muggle studies.

"Neville. She needs some space. Let her be for a bit." Luna said sternly as she placed her hand on his arm and looked at him.

"But Luna," He looked down into her pale eyes and shook his head.

"Come on," Luna commanded as she guided him to lessons.

Neville kept looking for her as they walked through the corridors, craning his head around corners and into doorways. Until there were no other doorways left. Luna guided him into the room and immediately his eyes fell on her green and purple hair. She didn't turn around as he approached. Theo and Blaise sat on either side of her. They looked at each other before turning to Neville. He went to open his mouth to speak to her where Theo stopped him.

"Give her some space for a little while," Theo said gently. Neville felt the blood in his body go cold as his eyes darted between the three of them. Blaise smiled a thin-lipped smile as he turned away. The seats were almost full, leaving Neville to sit at the back next to Lisa Turpin. The former Ravenclaw spent the lesson trying to get his attention as he remained stiff. Frozen with fear and guilt as he stared at the back of her head.

Through two hours of Professor Taylor talking about Muggle vehicles, she didn't turn around once. He wasn't even sure that he saw her move. Theo and Blaise shared several furtive looks between themselves as they glanced back to look at him every now and again.

His mind struggled to take in any of the lesson as he went over the facts again and again. And then again until he'd gotten himself into a mental mess. He didn't want to contemplate what the letter could contain and what it could mean for them.

He sat up and moved before leaning back down again to rest his head on his forearms. Why wasn't she talking to him? He hadn't done anything wrong, had he? They had been fine at breakfast. He swallowed thickly as he glanced at Lisa, who gave him an approving once over as she smiled seductively. He couldn't even bring himself to smile back politely before returning his gaze at Pansy.

When the professor dismissed them, Neville was the first one to stand up as he waited for the other students to filter out and for Pansy to approach him. She kept her head down as Theo and Blaise walked beside her.

"Pansy?" He called out as she walked past him. She stopped without looking up. "Can we talk?" He tried as Lisa Turpin knocked him out of the way roughly.

"I'm not sure that's a good idea." Blaise tried as he stepped between them.

"I just need to know what I've done. I think you owe me that?" He saw her shoulders start to shake and he knew she was crying. "Pansy," He offered as he held his hand out. She shook her head and walked off without them. He watched as her robes disappeared around the door.

"We're so sorry, Longbottom," Theo said as he clapped his shoulder with his hand.

"Can you tell me anything?"

Theo looked at Blaise, who looked back and shrugged. Theo took a deep breath and closed his eyes as if stealing himself against the news.

"Someone wrote to her family and told them about you."

Neville felt like he'd been punched in the stomach. He couldn't quite catch his breath.

"If they get wind that she's so much as looked at you after getting their letter, then they're going to pull her out of school or worse. The letter was quite detailed." Blaise winced with distaste at the memory.

"Worse?" Neville asked as his tongue turned to paper.

"They mentioned disowning her, disinheriting her, throwing her out. They were not very forgiving."

"The only reason it wasn't a howler is that purebloods don't air their dirty laundry in public," Theo explained.

"So, we can't talk to each other again?"

"Fraid not," Blaise explained with a shake of his head.

Neville stood in the silent classroom and felt the echos through his soul. He cleared his throat before speaking again.

"Erm, right. Let her know- if she erm…ever needs me. I'm right here for her."

"She knows." Blaise offered. "She's in pieces over it,"

"This is really hard for her too," Theo muttered uncomfortably. "She doesn't want to follow the rules," he snorted with a short, derisive laugh. "You know Pansy, she has never been one for the rules! But this- she's finding it very difficult. Leave her alone to work through it, hanging around will only make it worse."

Neville swallowed and nodded as he collapsed back onto the stool.

"We've got to get to our next lesson. We're still here for you Longbottom, You're one of us now." Blaise added as he too slapped him on the shoulder.

"Thanks" he mumbled as they left him alone to his thoughts.

The crushing tightness in his chest threatened to suffocate him as he struggled to make sense of it all. He stared off into space without seeing as the panic spiked inside him. He shook his head as he covered his head with his arms. He needed to move, needed to do something to expel the energy.

He started to walk away. Walk and breathe. He didn't try to focus on where his feet took him. He just focused on moving and feeling the air enter his lungs until one stopped the other. When he couldn't breathe any more, he stopped and sank to the floor. His heart boomed in his limbs like a giant's pulse as his throat burned. His skin felt frozen and burning at the same time. There were just too many sensations to understand. His mind couldn't cope.

He needed to slow down, he needed to breathe and calm down. He tried to do what Theo did for him, he attempted to slow down his breathing, but he couldn't get the rhythm right. Why was breathing so hard? He felt the air pressure change around him and opened his eyes.

A witch in dark robes crouched before him and grabbed his arm. He could bearly hear her over the buzzing and booming between his ears.

"Longbottom, Come on, get up."

He blinked at her as he tried to comprehend her words. He tried to stand as the fear coursed through his veins.

He fell against the wall and slid back down again as the strength left his legs. He couldn't walk if he had a heart attack. He closed his eyes again and tried to curl up into a ball. His breath hitched, and the black halo started to appear at the edge of his vision. He tried to slow his breathing, but his lungs didn't want to cooperate. He felt the halo grow larger until it consumed him. He didn't want to faint and make a fool of himself. He just wanted to stop.

He heard someone counting and looked up. The witch before him was McGonagall, and she was counting. Very much as she had done when she'd been teaching them to dance.

"One, two, three, four. One, two, three, four." She murmured slowly as she sat on the floor next to him. "In, two, three, four. Hold, two, three, four. Out, two, three, four." She chanted over and over. He closed his eyes and latched onto her words. Why was breathing so difficult? He focused on fighting off the darkness. The dizziness threatened to take him.

"Come on, Mr Longbottom. I do not wish to be sat on this cold floor for the rest of the morning. Focus so that we can take this to my office." She said brusquely. Neville caught the tilt of her smile as she peered at him from under her wide-brimmed hat. He almost smiled as he hiccupped again.

Muttering from down the corridor drew his attention as some students walked past. Their wide eyes and surprise, all for him and the forbidding headmistress as they edged past. He cursed himself again as he thought of the news spreading through the school like wildfire.

"In, two, three, four. Hold, two, three, four. Out, two, three, four." She repeated again until his breath came to him steadily and left him slowly. "There, now, if you will come with me. I believe a cup of tea and a biscuit are in order," He nodded mutely as he slowly followed her through the corridor. She glanced back ofter to make sure he was still with him.

The large stone gargoyle was stood to attention the way it always had been. He jumped when it started to rotate and rise. Watching the stairs appear, he realised that he had never been to the headmaster's office before.

"Come, Longbottom." McGonagall motioned as she led the way up the stairs. He followed her around the tight spiral of steps, the spin doing nothing for his dizzy head. Once at the top, she took his arm and guided him towards her office.

The room was large and circular and filled to the brim with portraits of old headmasters and headmistresses. Some frames were empty where their occupants had gone gallivanting. Most of the remaining professors tried to look preoccupied, but Neville knew that they watched him. He felt nervous as he approached the desk as if he were on display. The bureau was huge and heavy looking with large claw feet at its base.

He wondered what the office had looked like when Dumbledore occupied it. He could only imagine that there was less tartan. There was a comfortable-looking armchair by the fireplace with a green and red blanket thrown over the arm. Trinkets and other paraphernalia decorated the shelves. He recognised the battered-looking sorting hat, which sat motionless and inanimate on one of the high shelves, surrounded by some Quidditch memorabilia.

She led him over towards the fire and sat him down on another chair, though far less comfortable looking. She sat in her armchair and sighed.

Neville felt the swirling dread build up again as she looked at him over her square-framed glasses.

"So," She said in her Scottish drawl. "Can you explain to me what caused that little episode in the corridor?" The words sounded harsh, but her tone was soft and careful.

He took a deep breath as he tried to find the words to explain. He felt ridiculous.

"It's nothing." He mumbled.

"Don't mumble, Neville! My hearing, I'm loathed to say, is not what it once was." She snapped. He felt a strange mix of surprise and shock at hearing his first name come from her lips. "Now, It's perfectly normal after what everyone has been through, its nothing to be ashamed of."

He looked down at his fingers and noted how the nails were bitten and sore. Red and splintered where he had chewed his way through them as he gazed at Pansy, waiting for her to turn around.

"Pansy received a letter this morning from her family." He mumbled before repeating himself more clearly.

"Ah, young love," She remarked as she crossed her hands over her lap.

Neville nodded as he glanced down at his feet.

"Her parents have forbidden her to talk to me, and she's just ignoring me."

"I see."

"Nott and Zabini told me at the end of Muggle studies, just before you found me." He fiddled with his fingers picking at the rough nails and making them worse.

"So, you've had a bit of a shock?" He nodded.

"We got on so well." He muttered again. He couldn't bring himself to repeat it.

"Love is like a broken rib, Longbottom. It hurts to breathe and is agony to move on. It draws your focus from anything else. However, like everything else, it heals with time." She said as she leant forward and patted his knee.

He nodded then stopped, he didn't agree. He felt a swell of pain rush through him as he remembered what she had said. He wanted to punch something at the unfairness of it all.

"Neville, If there is one thing I've learned in all my years, it's that couples who are meant to be will go through everything that is meant to tear them apart, and will come out on the other side even stronger. If you and our Ms Parkinson are destined to be together, it will happen."

"But what about her parents?" She gave a gallic shrug which could mean everything and nothing simultaneously.

"What about her parents? It's none of your business. What I would urge you to do is to concentrate on your schoolwork. You have ten months to make this final year count. Wait and see what the future holds. Respect their wishes, and we'll see whether Ms Parkinson's nature is revealed."

Neville smiled slightly at the advice.

"Now, I'll get to the point as I was actually looking for you when I stumbled upon you. This conversation never happened." She warned. She handed over a small tartan tin. "Have a biscuit,"

He helped himself to a ginger newt before closing the tin back up and handing it back. She smiled at him with the barest twitch of lips before she tented her fingers.

"I wished to discuss with you that matter you brought to my attention." She said before she paused. "I was very distressed to see what you have been through over the past few weeks. I wanted to let you know personally what has been done to prevent this from happening In the future." She stood up at this point and began to pace, her robes trailing behind her "Both Rivers and Cornfoot are on final warnings. If either other them even breathe funny, I'll have them out of this school before Filch can rehang the thumbscrews. Ms Abbotts however, even though I feel that she was the instigator, she has done very little which I can prove. I have given her a very stern talking to, and I believe that she has taken my warnings on board. However, I would urge you to inform me if any further infractions, however slight, are committed by her from this moment on."

Neville nodded as he chewed on the newt. If he had known back on the Hogwarts express what he knew now, he never would have asked her out. As he thought back, he wondered whether he had actually asked her out in the first place or whether she had just manipulated him into thinking he had.

"Now, unless I am very much mistaken, You have got the better part of an hour to focus on your studies. So I would suggest you return to the library or common room and focus on your homework there."

"Yes, Professor," He said as he stood up.

"And Longbottom?" She added as she stood up with him.

"Yes, Professor?"

"She'll come around, you have a lot going for you." She smiled, her usually-stern eyes crinkling at the edges behind her glasses.

"Thank you, Professor." He nodded his thanks as she walked him to the door. She held it open for him as he left. Once the door was shut behind him, he stood for a moment just trying to take everything in. He felt a strange sense of floating like he wasn't really in the moment but watching from elsewhere. He shook his head as he tried to clear the sensation and then forced his legs back down the narrow stairwell.


	34. Only In Your Imagination

The week went by as quickly as a thawing glacier as day rolled into night rolled into day again. He was coming around to McGonagall's analogy of love being like a broken rib. It was indeed, pure agony when he took a breath. Sometimes, the first thing in the morning, he could almost forget that she was no longer in his life. Then his aching bones and tired, gritty eyes would reawaken the hellish anguish again. He moped around the castle, unable to find joy in the smallest thing.

Hermione, Ginny and Luna had resumed their furtive glances at him during lessons and their time spent in the library. He avoided the common room as much as possible, knowing that she would probably be there with Blaise and Theo. His eyes still sought out the green and purple of her hair when he walked into a room. He could tell instantly whenever she was around, like a sixth sense, feeling her energy as they orbited each other.

Theo and Blaise still greeted him and asked after him, but it was clear that their loyalty was to her, and he appreciated that. He always had done. It was good to know that she had people that had her back. A few times, he heard mutterings and whispers about them as they passed. The old insults rearing their ugly heads again. Now that they were no longer together, it was assumed that the old rivalries were back in place. Neville made sure that he silenced anyone who dared insult any of them, earning several detentions thanks to his suddenly-acquired temper.

He stared out the window as he sat alone at one of the tables in the library. Almost a week had gone by since the letter had arrived and it felt as devastating as it had the moment Pansy had opened it. He watched as the sun began its descent behind the mountains. Luna and Ginny were normally with him for the last period on a Tuesday, but Ginny was at Quidditch practice training for their next big game against Slytherin. She was like a woman possessed as she put the team through their paces. She actually reminded Neville a lot of Oliver Wood.

Ginny had been virtually inconsolable after their defeat against the badgers earlier in the school year. Apparently, the new Gryffindor beaters were not the greatest at following orders, and their keeper was afraid of being hit by the Quaffle. She was obsessed about beating the Slytherins as the old snake and lion rivalry rose to the fore.

He looked down at his book and sighed. Hermione was impressed with his sudden studious nature and had shocked her further when he had told her that he was up to date with everything but that days work. What she didn't know was that he wasn't sleeping. He was working through the night to get his work done and to stop his mind going to the places where he feared to tread. He sometimes dozed in the library, but the nightmares usually made long naps impossible. He mostly just used coffee and pepperup potions to keep the sleep, and more importantly, the dreams at bay.

His pillows still seemed to smell of her, and it broke his heart. How could he sleep when every cell in his body was aware of her absence? Both in his bed and in his life. He always knew that he would get hurt falling for her, but she had been worth it. He stared at his trembling fists, quivering with the tension he seemed to radiate with now. He opened them and stretched out his fingers as he worked out the stress, ignoring the small bloody crescent moons in his palms. .

"May I sit with you?" A voice from next to him asked. He turned to the sound and stared in surprise and indignation, unable to formulate a response that wasn't cruel or rude.

Hannah stood next to him, holding a pile of books. She looked the image of sweetness and light as her hair was pulled back with a clip. Neville couldn't find it in himself to talk to her. He turned away and focused on the book in front of him, chewing on the inside of his lip. She pulled out the chair opposite and moved to sit.

"Don't!" was all he could say as he threw out his hand to warn her off. She sat down anyway. He closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. With his lack of sleep and sour mood, he knew that any conversation would take a turn for the worst. Even conversations with his friends were kept to a minimum.

"Hear me out, please." She said as she slid her books out of the way. "I just wanted to say that I'm sorry."

Neville looked at his fingers as he let her speak, the taste of blood fresh in his mouth from a particularly strong bite.

"What I did was unkind and unnecessary. I over-reacted and ended up hurting you. When I went out with Stephen, it was supposed to make you jealous. I didn't know he would use it as an excuse to bully you."

Neville took a deep breath hoping that he could keep his volatile temper under wraps.

"Now that both She and Stephen are out of the picture," She struggled to keep the distaste from her tone as she mentioned Pansy. "I wondered whether it was too late to maybe reconnect? We were so good together," She continued carefully as she tried to slide her hand towards his. He looked at it and began to laugh. The audacity just seemed too ridiculous to not laugh. He hadn't cracked so much as a smile in almost a week, and it seemed to smash the floodgate wide open. Tears began to pool in his eyes and run down his face as the laughter suffocated him. Even when Madam Pince shushed him, he couldn't seem to stop.

He fought to keep it together long enough to grab his bag and leave. Ignoring the glare, the librarian gave him as he went. He continued to chuckle as he stumbled down the corridor until finally he was done. He leant on a window ledge and felt the laughter echo around the cavernous void within him. His heart hurt worse than it had, as a sudden, stabbing pain filled him. "Nev, wait!" She called from further down the corridor. He shook his head as he got to his feet and continued back towards Lumos Tower.

He continued up the stairs until he was in the quiet of the common room. The place appeared deserted as he tried to escape towards the boy's dorms.

"Nev, Will you stop? You know I have trouble keeping up!"

"Then, just stop. Stop and leave me alone!" He said into the silence of the room.

"But, I thought we-" Neville smiled as he turned. He knew it wasn't a pleasant smile by the way she recoiled back from him, surprise in her eyes.

"I don't care!" It felt like such a cathartic experience to finally say it. Something so freeing to expose the truth. It felt almost visceral as he let his thoughts blurt out. He had tried to warn her, but if she wanted to have this conversation, he was going to give it to her, warts and all.

"What?" She asked, her eyes wide in surprise.

"I said I don't care. I don't care what you thought, I don't care what you think. I don't care what you say or do. You screwed me over and manipulated me. Anything that comes out of your mouth is either going to be lies or something to make me feel sorry for you, and I just couldn't give a fuck about any of it!" He shook his head and shrugged.

"Neville!" She spluttered at the curse. "I knew she was a bad influence on you! You would never have spoken to me like this before she came along and corrupted you!" She huffed

"Don't you dare even mention her!" He growled as he pointed at her. "And No, You're right! I wouldn't have done, because you had me twisted around your little finger, doubting myself, doubting my friends. You had me nice and submissive and dependant." He pushed his hand through his hair as he sighed. "You did me a favour when you humiliated me a dumped me. I've seen who you really are and it's something I can't unsee."

Neville let out a breath and shook his head as he turned back to the stairs.

"You'll regret this." She said as tears started down her cheeks. "I only ever wanted to make you happy. I could see what she was doing to you, changing you into someone you're not, swearing, drinking, sex? That isn't the sweet, innocent Neville, I know. I'm glad that her parents stepped in. I'm just sorry that they didn't get involved sooner!"

Something niggled at his brain as she stomped past him towards the stairs.

"You're just jealous because she actually made me happy, whereas you just made me think I should be. What we had was a farce, and I'm glad it's over."

She started to sob as she walked away. "My sweet Neville would never have been this cruel!"

"Your sweet Neville only existed in your imagination." He retorted as she disappeared up the stairs.

He took a deep breath as he fell into the nearest chair. He shook his head as he reviewed what had just happened. He was now positive that she was a few wrackspurts short of a nest. He snorted at the nerve of the girl, trying to smooth over their relationship. He felt like it would be akin to trying to fill and smooth over the grand canyon. He stood up after a while and went to his bed.

Something else he hadn't been doing was eating. The thought of eating turned his stomach as he collapsed on his bed. He wondered whether he could get any sleep tonight. He didn't even bother changing out of his clothes as he kicked off his shoes and pulled his curtain closed.

He held his head against the pillow, hemmed in by his arms as he tried to blot out the world. And before he knew it, sleep had swept him away in a painful cloud of black cherries and violets.


	35. Invisible

The pressure on his chest peaked his anxiety as he tried to stand up. The crowd was too thick. People standing shoulder to shoulder so tightly together that he wondered whether this is how sardines felt. He managed to get to his feet although he was pinned tightly. He looked around. Michael Corner and the Patil twins stood around him. Staring blankly ahead.

"What's happening?" He asked, but silence was their reply. He fought to raise his hand to wave it in front of their faces, but they remained statue-still and as emotive as a mannequin. He heard a laugh and a scream and turned. Something was happening in front of all these people, something that he couldn't see.

He was pulled forward by an invisible force, driving him towards the disturbance. He barged and fought his way through the mannequins that seemed to cling to him, holding him back. None of the people gripped him nor acknowledged his presence. However, pushing through them was like wading through syrup.

He caught someone in the face with his elbow and turned around to apologise. Harry stood, blood dribbling from his nose and his glasses broken and askew on his face. There was no reaction, no change of expression.

Neville felt unnerved as he continued towards the front. He fell forward as the crowd parted into a clearing. Stephen and Oliver stood at the front, unpleasant sneers over both their faces.

He lay on the floor looking up at them, waiting for them to strike while he was alone and vulnerable. However, they like the others stood motionless, their eyes glued to whatever event was taking place in the centre of the clearing. It was then that the slap of a whip drew his attention. He craned his neck as he tried to get up.

A circle of robed people stood, wearing their elaborate Death Eater masks, their blank eyes staring out at nothing. He heard the slap again as one of the Death Eaters raised their hand. A string of glowing, red light emanated from the tip of their wand. The figure brought their hand down, and the line followed whipping something in the centre of the circle.

She cried out. Neville felt his blood run cold at the noise as he rose to his feet. He walked towards the Death Eaters and pushed through. They paid him no mind as he stood looking down at Pansy in the centre of the circle. Her skin was littered with red and angry welts where the magic whip had struck her. He swallowed as he watched as another figure raised their hand to repeat. He dove in front of her to shield her from the lash.

He heard the whistle as the cord sailed through the air. He felt it make contact. He opened his eyes in surprise when it didn't make contact with him. He saw the string disappear through his chest and turned in time to see the red welt appear on her abused skin.

He cried out with a dawning terror that he wouldn't be able to protect her. He covered over and whispered to her, hoping that she could hear him. He told her he was there and that it would all be over soon. He told her how much he loved her and how he missed her. The whip continued to strike through him as he held her, offering whatever comfort he could.

A deep rumbling from beneath them roused him, and he raised up to look around. The ground began to shake, rattling crumbs of dirt and stone around him before shaking him off. He looked up as the land of Hogwarts separated into floating islands, ruins and dirt falling off into nothingness beneath them. The bodies of his classmates fell, as Pansy floated away, their faces just as blank as before.

He stood as he tried to jump, but the distance was too far. He landed on the island beneath staring up at the roots and soil underneath.

"So, you still defy me?" Came a hissing voice that echoed around him. He looked around desperately for the source. His panic at boiling point. He spotted the snake and the owner floating towards Pansy's island.

He cried out in desperation, anything to distract them from her. Anything but her.

The snake noticed him, and he cursed as it slithered towards him. Then, it slowly lowered itself down to hang there, looking at him. He heard her scream as Lord Voldemort pointed his wand at her. He laughed as her anguished cries filled the air. Distracted, he forgot about the snake as he tried to find a way to her. The snake was suddenly before him, fangs outstretched and dripping as it found its mark. Neville cried out as he jumped from his dream.

Neville sat up in his bed, soaked from head to foot in sweat as his uniform bit into his skin. During sleep, it had twisted tightly around his body. He gulped in the air around him as the nightmare clung to him like a Lethifold. He fought his heart as it pounded painfully in his chest. He wondered, remotely whether the Carrows had done any damage to it after all the times he had been tortured.

He rubbed at his face as he thought of Pansy, he squeezed his eyes shut as he tried to keep the tears at bay. This was why he had been fighting sleep. He seriously needed more coffee. He swallowed as he got his emotions under control. It was still dark outside, but the moon shone in like a floodlight. He pushed his fingers through his sweat-matted hair and shook his head. He wasn't ever going back to sleep after that dream.

He felt around for his wand and started to panic when his hand didn't fall on it immediately. He found it on the third feel and let out a sigh of relief. He cast a Tempus charm and the time flashed at him. Just past three-thirty in the morning. He covered his mouth as he yawned, feeling so much older than his eighteen years.

The temperature had dropped considerably in the last week or two, and the air in the tower was frigid and cruel against his sweaty skin, raising goosebumps along his flesh. He could see the condensation as he breathed. The mist looking thicker and more substantial in the moonlight.

He threw on his dressing-gown and slippers before heading towards the common room, and more importantly, the kitchen. As he padded through the dorms, he heard others whimpering and stirring in their beds and knew that sleep was a necessary evil for all of them these days.

As he wandered down the stairs, he wondered whether the nightmares would ever leave him. He was halfway down when he noticed the kitchen light was already on. He leant forward to look around, knowing that someone was already down.

He saw her in their window seat wrapped in his coat. She sat huddled against the corner, her porcelain face reflecting the moonlight like an ethereal being. The beauty of her stole his breath as he froze just to watch her. It both warmed and stopped his heart, seeing her in his coat. He had forgotten all about it until now. He swallowed the pain down as he remembered his nightmare. She was fine and unhurt. He could drop the guilt that hung around his neck.

He continued to move down the stairs as his brain went into overdrive. Did he ignore her? Did he acknowledge her? Did acknowledging her break her parent's rules? He felt so confused as he wandered towards the kitchen. He wanted nothing more than to join her on the window seat, sharing her warmth as they spoke about inconsequential things.

He stirred his tea as he added the milk. Then, once the milk was away, he went and sat by the fire. He couldn't bring himself to sit on the sofa with his back to her. He needed to make sure for his own sanity that she was still there and alright. So he sat in one of the armchairs parallel. He knew when she noticed him as she half stood from the window. Her bare legs exposed under the coat. Part of his brain wondered whether she was wearing pyjama's underneath. He shook himself as their eyes met.

They looked at each other; all of the words that couldn't be said translated in that one glance. So much sadness and regret for such beautiful eyes to hold. He smiled at her, just a quirk of lips, his way of saying hello, offering forgiveness and explaining how much he missed her. He felt his heart leap as she did the same back. He took a deep breath before her face crumpled. She started to cry, and he did the only thing he knew how, he stood up to go to her, to offer comfort.

He was almost to her when she held out her hand and shook her head. He stopped in the centre of the common room feeling bereft of contact. She wiped at her eyes and shook her head as she tore her eyes from him. She curled back up into her ball and turned her gaze to out of the window. Shutting him out once again.

He stood there for longer than he should have done before turning back to the fire. His blood had turned cold as though his heart no longer warmed him. He sat on the rug before the dying fire and turned his back to the room. He added more wood as he desperately tried to hold his heart together.

He didn't know whether he could put up with this for another ten months. Maybe it would just be better if he left and joined the Aurors. The pain of seeing her and knowing that he couldn't touch her or talk to her was worse than not seeing her at all.

His mind wandered through so many different options and scenarios as he drank his tea and watched as the fire grew. He didn't notice as the sky lightened outside. It wasn't until he heard her move around the common room that he looked up. He yawned before casting another Tempus charm with his wand. It was nearly half four. He stood up, feeling his cold legs ache and complain as he stood up.

He was going to go back to his bed and study. At least if he could get his homework started, he wouldn't have to think about other things any more.

He slowly climbed the stairs back to his dorms, his muscles feeling tight and sore as though he'd been working out in the grounds. As he came level with the portrait, he noticed a black lump of material. He swallowed as he tried to fight the tears that threatened to escape. It was like Pansy had closed the door completely on them. His coat sat in a folded pile by the portrait of Sir Patrick. It was like she was saying goodbye. The last link between them finally gone. He pulled open the sleeping painting and climbed in blindly as the tears began to blur his vision.

Two hours later found him showered, dressed and halfway through his Potions essay. His bed was becoming a dumping ground for cups as the last three coffees had been devoured. The other boys in the dorm were starting to wake up and get ready for the day ahead.

He couldn't believe it had been a full week since he'd spoke to Pansy. His eyes glanced to his coat. When he picked it up, it smelt like her as though she was still there. He found his eyes gravitating towards it more than they should. He shook his head and pulled them back to the parchment in front of him.

He started packing his things up when he noticed that the dorm was going quiet. He guessed it was time for breakfast, not that he was hungry. He threw his robes on and grabbed his bag as he headed towards the portrait hole. The mugs could wait until he returned later if the house-elves didn't get to them first.

He pushed through and was surprised when he was faced with a crowd. He swallowed as he remembered the nightmare, still so vivid in his imagination. They were all looking down, leaning over the bannister to gaze at something below.

He spotted Terry Boot, and he tapped his shoulder. To his relief, Terry turned to look at him.

"What's going on?" He asked quietly as he heard the ruckus below.

"Catfight, I think, that's what Goldstein said." He replied as he craned his neck to see.

He heard a girl growl below and peered over. There were certain times he was happy to have had such a growth spurt during puberty, it meant that he was easily one of the tallest in his year. He leant over the bannister and saw the back of someone's robes.

He wondered which girls were fighting. He thought that most of them got along. Hermione stood a few steps below. He began to thread his way through the jeering crowd to reach her.

"Morning, Hermione," He muttered as he tried to get a better look over the crowd's collective heads.

"Oh, Neville." She said her face creased with worry. "I was hoping you were already at breakfast," She glanced behind her before looking at him.

"Why?" He asked with a frown. He was sure that he could guess why but needed to hear her say it.

"The girls fighting… It's Hannah and Pansy." She said with a grimace. Neville closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. "We were getting dressed when Hannah said something as she walked passed. Pansy flew at her."

"I need to stop it," He said with a sigh. He did not revel in the idea of getting between two duelling witches, but he couldn't let them fight.

"Normally I would agree, but I'm not sure it's a good idea."

"I can't let Pansy get hurt."

"Believe me, I don't think you have to worry about Pansy." Hermione snorted.

Neville shook his head as he pushed his way down the stairs. He heard some people complain until they saw him and then they seemed to perk up as they waited for the fight to improve.

When he got to the bottom of the steps, he saw Pansy gripping Hannah's hair as she tried to hit her. Hannah was trying to kick Pansy's shins but kept missing.

Whatever Neville had been expecting to see, this hadn't been it. He'd been expecting a magical fight, not a physical one.

Hannah's face was ruddy and swollen where Pansy had obviously gotten a few good strikes in. Blood dribbled from her eyebrow as she kept trying to hit Pansy.

Pansy looked surprisingly unmarked in the scuffle. Her hair was dishevelled, and her stockings were laddered, where a nasty bruise was swelling. Her porcelain features were also red, but Neville suspected they were just as much from anger as they were from exertion

He stood for a moment as he tried to work out how to split them up. He cleared his throat, causing Pansy to look around. It was the wrong thing to do as Hannah advantage of the distraction to push Pansy backwards. Pansy fell hard onto the floor as Hannah landed on top of her.

He'd never really noticed before, but Hannah was shorter than Pansy, but she was stockier. Pansy had more petite proportions, and even though she was taller, her build was more willowy. Hannah began hitting her and Neville was about to step in when Pansy managed to push her off. She straddled the heavier girls body and slapped her hard around the face.

Neville cringed as the slap resounded around the common room. There were a few cringes and winces in sympathy as the people on the stairs continued to watch.

"You ruined everything," Pansy hissed as her voice broke.

"You started it!" Hannah spat out as she tried to protect her face.

"You wrote that letter!" Pansy cried as she hit Hannah again.

"No!" The blond cried as she tried to shield her face from the blow.

"Then how did you know?" Pansy asked, pausing her hand for a moment. "You're a liar!"

"I didn't, someone told me!"

"None of my friends would ever have told you! You wrote it! Admit it!" Pansy screamed.

Neville watched transfixed. He felt like the floor had dropped out of his world. Hannah had written the letter? He wasn't sure she was capable of such a thing. Something niggled at the back of his mind and it clicked. He had noticed something was wrong in the library when she had mentioned Pansy's parents.

"I didn't! Someone get her off me!"

"That's enough." He said numbly as he walked closer. "Come on, get up." He offered his hand, but Pansy ignored it. She slapped Hannah again before she climbed off. She brushed herself off before gripping her wand. He watched and knew she was about to do something. She waited until Hannah was on her feet again before she hit her with a jinx. Neville watched as her face turned hairy and long. Thick wiry whiskers sprouted from the end of her snout as two large front teeth pushed out from under her black, stretched lips. She was hideous.

"Now you're as beautiful on the outside as you are on the inside!" Pansy shot back before picking up her stuff and walking towards the door. Neville stood to the side as he watched Pansy open the door to the stars and start her descent.

He glanced back at Hannah, who had raised her own wand. Neville felt like his dream was coming reality as he jumped into the path of the flash of magic. He hadn't heard her cast a spell, but then, rats lips were not designed to enunciate. He had no clue what to expect, but even if it was Avada Kedavra, his actions would be the same. If Hannah caught Pansy, she'd fall headfirst down the stairs.

He heard people scream as the light exploded into his chest. Neville felt the sensation of flying and then nothing as the noises and light disappeared, sucked into darkness.


	36. Caged Tiger

As he blinked against the light, the throbbing in his head told him he was alive. He obviously wasn't in the afterlife, he was in too much pain for that. He groaned as he tried to sit up, but a hand pressed on his chest, holding him down.

"Not so fast, Mr Longbottom," Came the business-like voice of Madam Pomfrey. "Now that you are awake, I need to run a few tests on you."

"Tests?" Neville asked groggily as he looked around. He realised that he was in the hospital wing, and it was dark outside. "What? What happened?"

His last memory had been going down to breakfast, and now it was night time? He struggled against her arm before she pointed her wand at him.

"Now, Mr Longbottom, if you do not keep still I will have to immobilise you. The less you wriggle, the quicker I'll be." He eyed her wand suspiciously as she waved it over him.

Finally, she tutted and shook her head before putting her hands on her hips. She stared at him with a mix of disappointment and concern.

"What a fine mess you have gotten yourself in to. No wonder Miss Granger wasn't able to revive you!"

"Sorry?"

"You were hit with a modified stunner, normally a reviving charm of this strength is enough to reawaken a victim. However, in your case, your natural energy levels were so depleted that the reviving charm couldn't work, that and the bump on your head probably didn't help. When was the last time you ate anything?"

He looked around the room as he tried to think. Nothing came to mind, except for the toast he almost ate on the morning of… he shook his head, unwilling to think about it. He didn't want to add to the pain.

"I thought as much, And when was the last full night's sleep you had?" He didn't even have to think when he shook his head. He avoided her gaze as he winced from the pain? She made a noise that sounded like she had come to a conclusion. "I'm going to keep you in another night, I think."

"Another?" Neville asked as he tried to sit up. Madam Pomfrey looked down her nose at him as she appraised him.

"Yes, another! You need to regain your strength, and I would be a poor healer if I let you leave here without making sure you are at the very least, fully rested. I'll get you some dreamless sleep to get you through the night and then tomorrow, if you can eat all your breakfast, I will allow you to leave."

"I'm fine, just my head hurts." He said as he pulled on his hair, hoping to gain some relief.

"I'm not surprised. That's usually what happened when skin and bone meet marble. I'll get you something for the pain too." She seemed to soften then as she looked at him and he wondered what she saw when she looked at him.

He wondered whether he looked as pathetic as he felt. He pressed his palms against his head to try and offset some of the pressure. It was no use, the pain throbbed on the inside of his skull as though his heart had relocated.

What had happened? How had he been caught by a stunner? He closed his eyes as he tried to think. He had lost time, and he didn't know why.

"Stop thinking so hard, Mr Longbottom. The memories will come back if you don't force them." She smiled as she held out a couple of vials. "I'm sure the school will be humming about it too. You did something quite heroic. Foolish, but heroic."

"What happened?" He asked as he took the vials.

"Miss Granger said that you stopped a fight and was hit by an unknown spell intended for another," She shooked her head as she clasped her hands in front of her. "Blindly heroic. A true Gryffindor." She looked at him again, sadly this time. "Far too young to have seen so much. But there we are. The thin vial is the dreamless sleep, the other one is for the pain. I would advise that you try and get straight back to sleep, but I understand if you want to think about things for a little while. It can be very disorientating."

"Thank you." He muttered as she floated away towards her office. He looked around and was surprised and relieved to find that the other beds were empty. He wasn't sure why he worried about having company, but something at the back of his mind needled him that there should be someone else in the hospital wing.

He rolled over and took the cork out of the thin vial. The opportunity to have a full nights sleep without nightmares was too good of a chance to pass up. He knocked it back and then settled under the cover as he waited for the potion to kick in. His eyelids grew heavy almost immediately as the medicine took hold.

He awoke feeling like his head was filled with pygmy puffs as he blinked against the dim light pouring through the high windows. His tongue felt fat and dry as he tried to lick his cracked lips. The room was silent as quiet fumblings and noises came from Madam Pomfrey's office. The hospital wing always felt so cold. Neville assumed it was because there was so much exposed brickwork and windows with so very few soft furnishings to retain the heat. He rubbed at his jaw and felt that his stubble was quite out of hand, how long had he been asleep?

"Good Morning, Mr Longbottom." Madam Pomfrey greeted him as she carried a tray of food towards him. He blinked at her as he raised his hand in greeting. Not sure that he would be able to enunciate around his dry tongue.

There was a strange sense of deja vu at the thought of not being able to pronounce words. As though it was significant. He frowned at the mystery.

"Morning," He muttered groggily.

"Hold still while I run some tests on you." He lay back without being told twice as he eyed the food on the tray. His stomach turned painfully at the sight of it, and he really didn't want anything.

He waited for what felt like an eternity as he lay there, the smell of the toast turning his stomach.

"Hmm," Madam Pomfrey muttered with a frown as she looked at him.

Neville looked at her and raised his eyebrows, unable to muster much of a response.

"You're not as rested as I was hoping. I want you to eat this. If you eat it all, you can go about the rest of your day."

He pulled a face as he looked at the offending food.

"I'm really not hungry," He tried to object.

"You can eat it now, or you can eat it later, but I can promise you, you will not be leaving my care until you do. It's your choice, Mr Longbottom."

He glared at the food grumpily. He could feel his stomach rolling in anticipation. He didn't think he'd be able to keep anything down even if he tried.

Madam Pomfrey glanced up at the doorway before walking off towards the entrance. He picked up a slice of toast and munched slowly at the corner. It tasted like cardboard.

"Mr Longbottom, you have some visitors, would you like me to let them in?" He nodded as he tried to eat another slice of toast.

"Oh, Neville. Thank God you're alright!" Hermione cried as she rushed to his side. Neville noticed someone behind her and was surprised when he found Blaise. He smiled as he inclined his head.

"Morning, Longbottom," Blaise said as he perched on the empty bed next to him.

He raised his hand blearily without talking.

"How are you feeling?" Hermione asked as she perched on his bed.

"Not great," He said as he threw the toast onto the plate, wishing it would disappear. "What happened?"

"Hannah hit you with a modified Stupefy charm. It hit you. and you flew across the room and smashed your head into the fireplace."

That explained the tender throb that seemed everpresent in his skull. Now that he noticed the pain he looked around for the other vial Pomfrey had left him. He knocked it back and waited for the pain to ease.

"What did she do that for?" He croaked as he frowned at the taste of the potion.

"You don't remember?" Blaise asked in surprise. Neville shook his head

"Things are still a bit jumbled and fuzzy," He said as he pulled at his hair.

"What do you remember?" Hermione asked, placing her hand on his knee.

"Coming out of the dorms to go to breakfast." Hermione raised her eyebrows in surprise. Blaise just whistled.

"Oh, Longbottom! You missed the best bits!" Blaise smirked.

"I hardly think two girls fighting in the common room, 'the best bits'" Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Yes, well, we seem to agree on lots of other things." He raised his eyebrow teasingly, and Hermione blushed.

"You tried to stop Hannah and Pansy fighting. Pansy left, but Hannah tried to curse Pansy as she walked away. You jumped in front of the curse, and it sent you flying into the fireplace."

"Left a massive dent with that hard head of yours." Blaise rolled his eyes. "However, Hermione left out the best bit. Pansy turned Hannahs face into that of a rat. It took Pomfrey the majority of Wednesday to get her looking back to normal." Blaise slapped his thigh as he chuckled.

Hermione smirked but tried to cover it by clearing her throat. "Anyway, it could have seriously hurt Pansy. She was going down the stairs at the time. She could've been killed."

"Is she alright?" Neville asked carefully. The stinging acid rose up his throat at the thought of her, lying broken at the bottom of the long, winding staircase.

"Pansy?" Blaise asked "She's furious. Once she knew that you were alright, she stormed the head's office demanding Hannahs immediate expulsion." Blaise looked around conspiratorially before he leant forward to whisper. "She wasn't told no."

This seemed to be news to Hermione whose eyebrows rose as her eyes widened.

"You didn't tell me that!" She retorted.

"I wanted to save the best bits for Neville, He certainly earned it! How is your head?"

Neville paused as he assessed the damage.

"The potion seems to be working, but my head was throbbing like I don't know what!"

"So Hannah might be getting expelled?" Hermione asked her whispered voice remarkably high-pitched. Neville reasoned that it was her worst nightmare so of course she would be horrified.

"I didn't say that. All I'm saying is that McGonagall didn't outrightly dismiss the idea." Blaise replied as diplomatically as he could. He turned back to Neville, and his face softened. "But yeah, She's unhurt. She's really shaken not that she'll admit it to anyone. She really wants to be here. She's acting like a caged tiger in the common room at the moment waiting for my report." He rolled his eyes "Please tell me that you're coming out today? I don't think I can take any more of her fussing."

Neville frowned at his toast. "I've got to eat that before I can go anywhere, but the smell makes me feel sick." He admitted.

Blaise looked around and pinched a slice when he was sure that the coast was clear. He took a massive bite before palming the rest out of sight.

"Blaise Zabini!" Hermione hissed disapprovingly.

"What? Do you really want me to put it back now that I've bitten into it? That's not very hygienic, is it?" He replied after he swallowed the mouthful. He looked around the room again. And once he established the coast was still clear, he took another large bite, pushing the rest in after it. Neville chuckled and shook his head.

"That's not what I was going to say." Hermione frowned.

"Then I suggest you do the same if we want to break Neville here, out."

"But if he feels ill, he really should stay in."

"How do you feel, Nev?" Blaise asked, shooting him a meaningful look.

"I'm alright, my head doesn't hurt anymore." He smiled weakly. Hermione raised an eyebrow sceptically as she looked at him, biting the inside of her mouth, causing her lips to frown.

"If you feel at all unwell, I will personally levitate you right back here, and I'll tell Madam Pomfrey everything!" She threatened before she looked behind her. The Matron was still nowhere to be seen as Hermione too took a massive bite of a slive of toast. She glanced at Blaise who winked and smirked, causing her cheeks to flush furiously.

Before long all the toast was gone and not a crumb remained on Hermione or Blaise as they sat with him, the picture of innocence.

"So where is Hannah now?" Neville asked.

"She was in the dorms this morning when I left," Hermione said as she looked between them.

"I bet she's not sleeping easy with Pansy so close by, I know I wouldn't! You never cross Pansy. She never forgives, and she never forgets."

"You sound like you speak from experience?" Hermione probed.

"Not first-hand experience I'm happy to say, just you never really see her with many female friends, there is a reason for that."

"And that reason is?"

"Not something I am at liberty to divulge; otherwise, I would also be added to the list. Whatever you do, never get yourself onto that list. Your demise will be slow and painful!"

"You make her sound dreadful." Hermione murmured.

"Her wrath certainly is! It's a force of nature. However, as fiercely vengeful as I make her sound, she is resolutely loyal. I would trust her at my back in a heartbeat. Besides, having that fury pointed at your foes on your behalf is never a bad thing either." He chuckled.

Neville watched them as they spoke, the conversation flowing easily between them. He would never have imagined such an exchange a month ago. He watched as he was slowly forgotten as the conversation continued while they waited for Madam Pomfrey to reappear.

He enjoyed the listening, not wanting to actively take part. His mind wandered as the conversation left the topic of Pansy, and drifted to the cavernous gaps in his memory and hoped they would return. He felt unsettled, leaving the hospital without knowing the whole story.

"Isn't that right Neville?" Hermione asked. Neville swung his head around and looked at her blankly. "About Ron and Crookshanks.

"Oh yeah." Neville nodded blankly. He avoided her gaze as she studied him.

"Are you sure you're alright to leave?" She asked suspiciously.

"Yeah, Of course. I'm fine." He nodded as he inspected one of the buttons on his Pyjamas.

"Glad to hear it, Mr Longbottom." Announced Madam Pomfrey as she floated back into the infirmary. She looked at Neville before looking at the now empty plate. Her eyes darted to Hermione and Blaise who smiled in reply, Blaise somewhat more convincingly.

"As the toast has been eaten, I must let you leave. However, if you start to feel dizzy, sick, or if your vision is affected, I want you to return here at once. Do you understand?"

He nodded eagerly as he swung his legs out of bed.

"You two will need to stand back while he changes." She said as she shooed them out from around the bed and pulled around the curtain. He felt relieved to be alone again, even for a moment. He was looking forward to leaving the hospital, he wasn't looking forward to being back in the thick of it. He took a deep breath before he started to undress.


	37. The Importance Of Paying Attention

Friday again meant that he was free first period. Hermione and Blaise walked with him to the stairs of Lumos tower before they went off to Alchemy. He trudged slowly up the stairs as he tried to keep his mind blank. Walking around the school was like the first week again after the war. People looking at him and whispering as he walked past. He felt the urge to rub his face or to tuck in his shirt. It made him feel painfully uncomfortable.

In his experience, his many failings were brought to the fore when under scrutiny. Even things he had never considered as such beforehand. He pushed into the common room and was relieved to find it empty. He walked over to the kitchen, dumped his bag on a table and made himself a cup of tea.

It was about the time when he reentered from the kitchen that he stopped, his eyes drawn to the spot at the bottom of the stairs. An image of Hannah on top of Pansy flashed into his mind. Then a picture of ripped tights and bruises. He sat down on the sofa facing the fire, as he had done a few nights previous and watched as the flames danced and licked the firewood.

His memory came back in dribs and drabs, and by his third cup of tea, he thought it had all returned. He sat a replayed it all in his head. From the moment He and Hannah had gotten together, to this moment on the sofa. He wondered whether he had missed any signs that could hint at the craziness or cruelty of the Hufflepuff. Looking back, he could see certain indicators but never anything as full-blown as this.

His mind drifted back to that moment on the subdued Hogwarts express. The platform had been a quiet and emotional affair with lots of tears and hugs. There was a strange sense of unity as houses intermingled in the compartments, all except the Slytherins. They still remained separate. Unforgivables and traitors to the rest of the passengers, they remained aloof and apart.

Neville pushed through on his way to find a compartment. Part of him wanted to sit amongst the snakes just to see whether he could get a reaction from them, but he suppressed it as he passed through. He was almost at his compartment when a hand touched his shoulder. He turned, surprised as he met Hannah with her beautiful smile.

He couldn't remember the exact words, but he remembered her doing most of the talking and him just nodding dumbfounded. From that moment on they had been virtually inseparable. He remembered the first time she'd said something that had seemed off. It was a throwaway comment about Hermione being a know-it-all.

It had seemed innocuous enough but now looking back the other comments increased in regularity. All focussing on characteristics and personality failings of his friends. Whether it was the brashness of Ginny or the strangeness of Luna. Comments that added together and twisted his thoughts against his friends. He wasn't sure he had ever seen anything to foreshadow his current situation though.

His mind started to gravitate back Pansy, but he stopped. He had spent enough time thinking of her, and it hurt too much. He cast another Tempus charm on his wand and was relieved when he realised he had enough time for a shower and a change of clothes. He rushed up to the boy's dorms and stopped at the portrait.

"Ah, well hello there, Longbottom. It's been a while." The cheerful adventurer greeted jovially from the canvas.

"Hello, Sir Patrick. It has indeed." He nodded.

"How are you? Your belle has been frantic without your presence."

"My belle?" Neville asked.

"Why, Miss Parkinson, of course. We have long discussion into the night when her mind is troubled."

"Is she alright?"

Sir Patrick frowned thoughtfully and shook his head. "I believe the news from home has hit the chink in her armour. I feel she is currently struggling with the dilemma of leaving the arrow in or pulling it out."

Neville frowned at the analogy. "I'm not sure I follow."

"It's of no matter. I'm sure all will become apparent once she comes to a decision." Neville nodded. He was sure that she already had. "I hear her birthday is imminent." He added.

"Her birthday? When?"

"Early November if my memory is correct." The portrait replied thoughtfully.

"She never told me," Neville said quietly.

"She never did like to celebrate it as I remember. Most unlike the rest of her friends. Oh, the parties they would throw and the gifts, well you can imagine I'm sure." The older man paused. "Actually that's not quite true. Her first year she had one of the largest cakes I have ever seen. But in her second year, everything changed."

"What happened?"

"I do not know." Neville sighed heavily as he perched on the edge of one of the steps leading to the girl's dorms. He carded his fingers through his hair, feeling the tender bump at the back of his head.

"You seemed troubled by this news. May I offer any assistance?" Sir Patrick asked as he looked down at him.

"What would you do? I'm not supposed to contact her. I don't want to get her in trouble. However, I don't want her to think that I've forgotten her on her birthday. Do I get her something?"

"Young sir, if she is all you can think about then it is worth taking the risk." The painting said sagely.

Neville nodded as he stared off down the steps, his mind a million miles away. As the passage of time dawned on him, he pushed himself up.

"Well, I must have a shower before I go to lessons, so if I could get inside, please?" Neville asked politely.

"Oh, of course. Remain steadfast and true in your affections, and she will come around!" He offered as he swung away from the wall.

"Thank you, Sir Patrick." He offered as he entered the dorms.

He stood outside the potions door waiting for the lesson to start. His eyes pointed down, he could already feel peoples eyes on him. He felt self-conscious as he stood alone. Pansy, Theo and Blaise had turned up already but held back from him. He caught Pansy's eyes once and found a mixture of emotions there. Relief, sadness, regret, indecision, playing out one after the other. He looked away, unable to bear it. He kept his eyes trained on his shoes until another's joined his. He looked up and found Ginny stood before him.

"Oh, Neville." She said before throwing her arms around him. She squeezed him tightly leaving him short of breath before releasing him abruptly. "If you ever throw yourself in front of a curse again, If it isn't a killing one I'll finish you off myself! You can't keep doing this!" She nagged. He smiled and rolled his eyes.

"Apparently, I was never in any danger. I have a hard head." He smirked back half-heartedly.

"I could have told you that before you decided to test it against the fireplace!"

"Sorry if I worried you," He muttered with a sigh.

"Of course you worried me. And Luna, And Hermione!" She listed "Idiot!" she said as she punched his arm. He frowned as he rubbed at the pain.

"Have I missed much?" He asked.

"I wouldn't worry about that!" She replied with a chuckle "Hermione has made sure that you have notes coming out of your ears." She grinned "I, however, have nice, easy-to-read bullet points ready for you to use in our classes. You'll have to ask Theo or Luna for Herbology notes though," His face fells as she too glanced over towards the former Slytherins.

Word must be out by now, He guessed at Ginny's reaction. Even if it was only between his friends. Gossip had a strange way of getting to all corners of Hogwarts within minutes of it happening.

Slughorn appeared before she could say anything else. He sat down as Ginny went and collected the ingredients. He kept his eyes at his desk, and when Ginny returned, they worked through the instructions.

Over an hour later found him in the middle of grinding up the lacewing flies into a paste. He winced in pain as Ginny nudged him, with her elbow in his ribs.

"What?" he hissed.

"I never would have believed it!" She snorted as she added the leeches to the cauldron.

"What?" He asked, looking at her. Her brown eyes mischievous as she looked around the room.

"That you would have two girls fawning over you at the same time!"

Neville looked up and found Pansy looking over at him as Blaise dealt with their ingredients. She seemed distracted and distant as though her mind were a million miles away. Their eyes met for a moment before she hurriedly looked away. For the fraction of a second where her mercurial eyes met his, it felt like home. He felt his heart start to race.

She looked so thin and pale, and bags hung painfully under her eyes. It was obvious that she hadn't been able to eat or sleep either. Neville wondered whether he had looked the same before his hospital rest?

He looked around for the other girl and spotted Hannah, who looked pale and tired as worry lines marked her face. Her hair looked unkempt as she pulled at it nervously. He had never seen her look so dishevelled

"Neither of them look happy though do they?" He said miserably as he added the paste to the cauldron.

"Neither of which is your fault before you get that in your head!" Ginny pointed out. "Hannah was lucky to have you, but she blew it, trying to control you. Pansy knows your worth and its eating away at her that she can't have you." Ginny shrugged. "It's a shame, I was beginning to like having them around. They're actually really funny, although I get the feeling that we haven't seen the last of Blaise." She smirked as she nudged him with her elbow.

"What? Why?"

"I know I shouldn't be surprised you being an oblivious boy and all, but seriously! There's some serious eye contact going on between him and Hermione!"

"Really? But I thought she was still with Ron?" He asked, surprised.

"No!" Ginny snorted "They broke up months ago. Amicably and everything but I think Ron really misses her."

"How come no one told me?"

"I thought you knew already, sorry." She shrugged. "but yeah, I reckon the Italian stallion is trying to woo her."

Neville glanced over to the trio again and caught Pansy's eye before she nervously looked away again.

Blaise, noticing Pansy's reaction, looked over and smiled before turning to carry on with his work.

"Well, he seems like a nice guy, I like him." Neville offered

"Almost everyone likes him. Apparently, he's got a reputation for being a ladies man," Ginny commented as she waved her wand over the potion.

"I've heard that too." He agreed, remembering Pansy's comment in the broomsticks.

"We'll have to wait and see what happens, but I think it would be good for her. They can go and be intelligent together, not like my brother!" She rolled her eyes. "I love him dearly, but he's an idiot for letting her go!"

Neville didn't respond. He couldn't imagine being in a romantic relationship with Hermione. Always being on the back foot, being the one in the wrong. Always being the stupid one. It didn't sound appealing. He always thought that Ron would be much better suited to someone a little less highly strung.

"Are you alright, Nev?" Ginny asked softly. "I mean, really alright?" He looked up at her, and she looked worried.

He looked back down at the pestle and mortar and focused on the paste. He shrugged, not really wanting to talk about it. "Do you love her?"

Neville shrugged again, instinctively glancing at Pansy before he looked back down to the lacewings. A fine tremor began in his hand from the death grip he had on the pestle. Ginny put her hand on his arm, and he released it before shaking his hand out. "Nev, look at me." He shook his head. As he focused on the work. If he looked into her eyes, his fragile walls would crumble.

"Just leave it, Gin," He said as he pinched the bridge of his nose. Was it his imagination that his head was beginning to hurt again? He pushed his hand into his hair and felt the sensitive lump on his head. He was definitely getting a headache.

She squeezed his arm before turning back to the bubbling cauldron in front of them. He took a deep breath as he steeled himself, scraping the lacewing paste into the simmering concoction. Ginny continued to stir as he emptied the heavy stone mortar.

He opened his mouth to say something when a loud hiss and plumes of purple smoke rose into the air. Neville looked up to see that the plumes were coming from the cauldron between Pansy and Blaise. Blaise frowned at Pansy as he waved away the smoke. Pansy tried her best to stop the smoke.

"Ah, I see someone added the Lacewing paste before the leeches," Slughorn commented as he walked over to the desk. "It's unlike the two of you to make sure a rudimentary mistake."

Neville watched as Pansy flushed the reddest he'd ever seen, her milky cheeks going crimson.

"Sorry sir, I was an accident, I thought Pansy had already put it in," Blaise muttered, as his eyes were still on Pansy.

"That's quite alright, Mr Zabini, I know that both you and Miss Parkinson are usually excellent brewers." Slughorn waved. "However, This will still need to be brewed today, so that it is ready for the same time as all the others. Do you have a free period today? If not, I can do lunch or after lessons this evening?"

"I have a free period after lunch if you can accommodate me?" Blaise asked.

"Perfect, my man. I will ensure that there is a space for you at the back whilst I teach my first-year class."

"Perfect," Blaise said with too much cheer. Slughorn, oblivious to the sarcasm, smiled and turned around to look at someone else's Polyjuice potion. Even from here, he could see that Blaise didn't look particularly happy. Pansy nodded a few times as Blaise muttered to her before his eyes settled on Neville.

Neville looked away, feeling instantly guilty as though he had intentionally made the cauldron smoke. From the corner of his eye, he caught Pansy start to turn her head to look at him but stopped herself. He missed the grey of her eyes which reminded him of the sky before a storm. The plump curve of her lips when she smiled, which filled him with joy and chased the clouds away. He recalled that amazing Saturday morning where they had missed breakfast. Just staring into her eyes and watching her react as they spoke. The perfect freckles across her nose and cheeks. He cleared his throat as Ginny nudged him.

"Eyes on the cauldron! I have practice tonight, and there is no way I'm staying over!"

Neville nodded as he reached for the bicorn horn. He looked around, but it was nowhere to be seen.

"Did you get the Bicorn horn?" He asked. Ginny looked at him, blankly before looking around the bench.

"No, I thought you got it." She replied. He shook his head as he stood up and headed towards the store cupboard.

He felt eyes follow him as he walked towards the front of the class. He felt relieved when he stepped out of sight. He closed his eyes for a second as he calmed the rising panic in him. He wasn't in danger of having a panic attack, but he didn't feel comfortable either.

He tried to concentrate on all the scents and smells around him. The cupboard, regardless of having the same ingredients on its shelves, seemed to feel different from when Snape had been Potions Master, less musty. He took a deep and calming breath before opening his eyes to start looking.

He felt warmth against his back as the door opened behind him. He turned curiously and stood speechless as she stood before him.

"Neville, please! Just hear me out," Hanah said as she blocked the entrance.

"What do you want?" He growled as he turned to the stores to look for what he had come for. He reached up and grabbed it before turning back to her.

"I just wanted to say that I'm sorry, for everything. Especially for putting you into the hospital wing. As you know, I wasn't aiming for you." Her face sneered as she referred to Pansy.

"She could have got seriously hurt if that had hit her," He stressed as she stood there looking at him.

"I know, I was so angry at her for what she did to me that I just saw red. I wasn't thinking."

"Right, was that everything?" he asked calmly as he pushed his free hand into his pocket.

"Are you alright?" She asked gently. The question and the tone threw him off guard. He narrowed his eyes in suspicion.

"I've been better, but I've been worse."

"Oh, alright. Well, I really am sorry,"

He nodded as he pushed passed her to get out of the cupboard. As he walked back into the classroom, all eyes were on him again. Most were peering into the closet too. He assumed to see whether Hannah was with him. He paused, almost tripping as he realised how it must look to anyone outside of the stores. His eyes met Pansy's who frowned before looking away. He looked at Blaise who watched him with interest as he made his way back to his seat.

Ginny sat, waiting for him with her arms crossed.

"Don't look at me like that!"

"Well? What happened?" She asked impatiently.

"Nothing, She apologised. That's it!" He said, probably louder than he needed to, but he could see that others were leaning in to get the gossip. He rubbed his face as he put the horn down on the desk. This was going to be around the school by the end of lunch.

He caught Hannah smirk at Pansy before she turned back to her work. He gritted his teeth and began grinding the horn into oblivion.

Hannah was going to be the death of him, he just knew it.


	38. Premeditation

Saturday morning was another glorious day, which was unusual for so late in October. Usually, the storms had blown in bringing snow. However, this Saturday was cold but brilliant. The birds chirruped in the trees above him. A large woodpigeon crashed into a branch, causing the leaves to rustle as it flapped to right itself.

He had skipped breakfast, opting to make an early break for the streets that, would no doubt be crowded later on if the sun stayed out. He pushed his hands into his pockets as he shrugged further into his coat. The wind was biting, and he wished he had remembered his scarf as he shivered.

He could see the pointed rooves and chimneys and remembered their first date. He stopped himself, refusing to dwell on it today. It was doing him no good, and he was fed up of hurting all the time. He knew that Hermione, Ginny and Luna were on the verge of babying him and making him eat in front of them. He was relieved for a change that most of his friends were girls which meant they couldn't barge into the boy's dorms and force him to sleep.

The idea of being babied made him cringe as he pulled his coat closer around his neck. Goosebumps chased up and down his skin as he closed in on the sleepy village. He decided that starting his Christmas shopping wasn't a bad idea while he was already looking for a gift. He usually left it until the last minute when there was nothing left in the shops.

He tried to concentrate on that as he entered the deserted village. He watched as the shopkeeper put the board up outside Dervish and Banges, advertising some deal on repairing cauldrons and scales. For Hermione, he could go into Scrivenshafts and get a nice book or painting. She would like that, he thought. Ginny was easy, something from Spintwitches. Luna was going to be a bit more challenging, maybe a nice jumper or something from Gladrags. Normally he wouldn't dream of buying a girl clothes without their supervision; however, Luna was a different story. She would wear it whatever size it was or make it into something else weird and wonderful.

He wondered whether he could buy a bottle of that brandy for Theo and Blaise. He would have to ask Madam Rosemerta. He couldn't see any reason why she wouldn't. There was still the mystery of what to get Pansy for her birthday. He knew her favourite colours and that she loved cherries. He felt like it wasn't much to go on. She was such a vibrant person who felt so deeply but hid much from prying eyes.

He decided he was going to start with easier presents before tackling the mystery that was Pansy. He stepped into the even colder interior of Scrivenshafts as he began with Hermione.

Several agonising hours later he was pretty sure he had bought something for everyone. He had purchased a set of floating garden lights for the Weasleys and a chocolate frog gift box for Ron, that came with a new series of trading cards. He knew that the redhead still collected them, and due to recent events, wasn't up to date. He bought Harry a voucher from Spintwitches as well as getting Ginny a broom polishing kit.

For Luna, he had found the best jumper, it looked to be about her size. It was purple and woolly with a rainbow unicorn that pranced around the waist when worn. It had made him smile just to see it and couldn't wait to see her face.

He had stocked up on some sweets from Honeydukes too. Pansy's favourites, the exploding bonbons and the sugared butterfly wings. He knew that Hermione had a soft spot for sugar quills and Ginny for the Lick'O'Rish spiders, so bought some of those too. Maybe if he distracted them with sugar, they would leave him alone. It was as good a plan as any.

Madam Rosemerta had been more than helpful when she had learned that the presents were for Theo, and more importantly, Blaise. She had been more than helpful and had even included two free, decorative glasses. Her only stipulation was that he pass on her regards to Blaise. He had agreed at the time. However, now that he was sat drinking at the back of the dimly lit pub, he remembered Hermione and Blaise's budding relationship. That was a riddle for another time.

He looked around the pub as he swirled around the glass of the Dragon Barrel Brandy. It hadn't taken long for the students to descend on the sleepy village, and now the inn was heaving. The castle seemed to be buzzing about nothing but the eighth year Halloween party in Lumos tower.

It appeared that a lot of the younger years were going to try and gatecrash. He overheard a nearby table of fourth years talking about sneaking in. As it was a costume party, no one would be able to check. Neville smirked, he knew enough about Theo's plan to know that there would still be an age line in place. This age line, much like the one which surrounded the Triwizard's cup, would stop anyone under seventeen from getting in.

He sipped his brandy and savoured the taste. He had forgotten that it was a fancy dress party, and if he was honest, he didn't want to go. He would be surrounded by people having fun and laughing when all he would want to do is sit and wallow in his own self-pity. He shrugged, the idea of getting drunk didn't actually sound too bad. He considered it more and decided he would get another bottle of the brandy and also one of the mead too, for himself.

He watched as a trio of musicians were setting up in the corner. There was usually some sort of entertainment happening to brighten people's spirits. The fiddler was tall and gangly with long hair tied into a bow. He reminded Neville of Bill Weasley but with fairer hair. Even his face was sallow and in the shadows could be mistaken for scars. The flutist was a witch with brunette hair with purple spikes. She was stood laughing with another patron as the fiddler, and the accordionist prepared their instruments. The third member played the concertina and looked like a jolly wizard with a large bushy beard akin to Hagrids mane.

He turned back to the bar in time to catch sight of Cornfoot and Rivers. He rolled his eyes and grit his teeth. They had been pretty quiet since the run-in with Pansy, but that had been weeks ago. More than enough time to forget and spoil for a fight. They stood at the bar smiling at Madam Rosmerta before starting to chat. He sipped his brandy and hoped that they didn't notice him.

It was as though his wish to remain unnoticed attracted attention. Rivers noticed him first and smirked when he pointed Neville out to Cornfoot. Cornfoot nodded and tapped Rivers on the arm before they threaded their way through the crowded inn towards him.

"Hey, Shortcock. Mind if we sit here? All the other seats are taken." Cornfoot asked as he sat down without waiting for a reply. Rivers copied like the sheep he was.

Neville didn't say anything as he looked into the deep amber liquid of his glass. He swirled it around in his mouth as he tried to ignore the two bullies. He wasn't afraid of them anymore, he was tired. This year should have been easy and carefree besides school work. Had they not earned a nice easy year after the hell that they had been through?

He thought of Pansy hanging in mid-air with her underwear on show. No, he was done taking peoples nonsense.

"I think that whack to the head has broken his tongue." Rivers teased.

Neville remained silent. He didn't have anything to prove to them. He took another sip of his drink while he waited for the band to start.

"I wonder whether his hearing was damaged as well? Sometimes head injuries can be strange like that." Cornfoot replied.

"Look, I am going to sit here and drink my drink, and then I'm going to go on about my day. I suggest you do the same. Don't go looking for trouble." Neville said calmly without looking at them.

Rivers snorted as he drank his butterbeer, sending foam off into the air. A group of sixth years groaned with disgust as they turned and glared at him.

"We're not here to cause trouble. We just wanted to come over and talk." Cornfoot said, "And check on your health after your little run-in with Hannah, the girl can really master a wand, can't she?" He added with a smirk and a wink. Neville knew he was being crude but ignored the comment as he watched them carefully.

"We thought we would come over and make sure you're alright," Rivers echoed.

Neville wondered whether Cornfoot kept his hand up River's arse to make him talk or whether he was just too stupid to form his own sentences. He didn't say it out loud only because he didn't want to start trouble.

"We're both looking forward to the party later. Very much so." Cornfoot took a sip of his butterbeer before putting the flagon back onto the table. "Now that Pansy is back on the market, I might dip my wick, if you know what I mean?" he winked, and Neville felt his hand tighten on his glass.

"You know, a bit of aggressive cuddling." Rivers smirked.

"Depends on how drunk she is," Cornfoot snorted as they clinked glasses. Both laughing at the reference.

Neville took a deep and steadying breath as he knocked back the dregs of his drink.

"You better hope she's drunk or next time, instead of removing your fingers, she might remove your head, and I wouldn't like to guess which one she'd go for first…" He commented as he stood up, throwing a glance at the other man's crotch and shaking his head.

Cornfoots face darkened at the reminder of his defeat.

"I do have a question by the way?" Neville asked as he started picking up his bags. "What is Durmstrang like this time of year? Or would you prefer Beaubattons?" He nodded before leaving them alone.

Once outside in the air, he took in another deep breath and let it out slowly as he watched the steam escape his mouth. He loosened the death grip on the bags as he veered through the crowds that filled the streets. He noticed the looks he got from the girls as he passed and shied away from them. He needed to get off the main road and away from the crowds. He needed space to think. He kept walking, and dove between the first buildings he could find which didn't look like a dead end. He kept walking, leaving the throngs of people behind.

His heart hammered in his chest as the meaning of Cornfoot's words sunk in. He leant against a wall, horrified that someone could think about doing that. The thought of his hands on Pansy, doing that against her will made his fists clench and bile rise up his throat. He would have to keep an eye on them. There was no way they were going to get anywhere near her.

He pushed off the wall and carried on walking as he tried to clear his head. His temper threatening to turn him around so that he could turn Cornfoot and his puppet into plant food.

The gully opened out onto another street which was slightly less busy. He didn't usually come down this side as the shops often held no interest for him. But as he wandered, he tried to pay attention to what was around him and not the violence in his heart.

There was a music shop and a potioneers, A greengrocers, affectionately called the Magic Neep and also a Jewellers. He looked through the windows, he wondered whether they had Celestina Warbeck's new single. His Gran would adore that as a Christmas present. He saw it in the window and wandered in to purchase it.

When he returned, he recognised a familiar blond walking in front of him. He held back as he watched Hannah step into 's Potion shop. He wondered vaguely what she could want in there but didn't spare a second thought to it. He was just happy that she hadn't spotted him. Her antics during Potions yesterday confirmed that her apology hadn't been at all sincere.

He glanced into the greengrocers but finding nothing of interest he continued on to the jewellers. He immediately thought of Pansy's present. Was jewellery too much? He wasn't sure. He determined that he would look in the window, and if something caught his eye, he would then decide.

Fandangle & Frippery jewellers had large glass windows with black trims, neutral enough that it wouldn't clash with any of the pieces within. The first window was dedicated to the jewellers as they sat at their 'U' shaped workbenches, setting stones and polishing shanks. He stood captivated for a moment as he watched them work. It was fascinating and relaxing watching the nearest wizard pick a stone, settle it in its setting and then bend the metal around it. He nodded to one of them as they looked up and received a polite nod back before he moved to the next window to look at the pieces.

There were hundreds of boxes in all shapes and sizes that shifted and floated around. As he gazed through the glass, he wondered whether she would prefer silver or gold. He was sure he'd seen her in silver before so maybe something silvery in colour. As he changed his mind, the boxes with the gold jewellery shifted out of sight.

A neat bit of magic, he thought as he waited for the boxes to stop dancing. Still presenting too many choices, he considered whether she would prefer earrings or necklace. He wasn't sure whether she had her ears pierced, so probably not earrings.

Once again the boxes relocated, the earrings disappearing from the window. About thirty boxes remained with pendants and brooches each pressing against the window, vying for his attention. He shook his head as he looked at them. He couldn't see Pansy ever wearing a brooch.

The brooches floated away, almost sadly, leaving just half the number of boxes again. Suddenly a new wave of boxes joined the first, all filled with pendants so varied in design that Neville didn't know where to start. There were large ones and small ones, ones covered in diamonds. Ones that had large central gemstones, others that used multiple smaller stones. He stood, watching the dancing boxes and shrugged.

Pansy had a small frame, and Neville guessed that anything too large would look ridiculous. He recalled the small silver chain she'd worn before and based his thoughts on that. All the large pendants fell away, leaving about ten boxes. There were three that caught his eye and no way to be able to choose between them without more information. He stepped inside to talk to the wizards within. If he could get everything today that would be one less thing to worry about.


	39. A Golf Club And A Cigar

He returned back to the castle, feeling productive and slightly better than he had been. The small box in his pocket, consuming almost all his thoughts as he navigated the stairwell. He wondered whether his choice was too extravagant for someone that he was no longer in a relationship with. He wondered what her face would look like opening the box as he pushed through the door to the common room. He stood, thoughts gone from his head as the room before him had changed beyond all recognition.

Slime dripped from the walls as cobwebs and chains hung from the ceiling. Mist clung to the rafters and glowed an ominous red as Neville wandered in.

"What in Merlin's spotted boxers-?" He asked as he looked around in awe. Bloody handprints smeared the windows as though people had tried to get out.

Theo glanced over and grinned brightly. "Do you like it?"

"I'm really not sure… I don't recognise it if that's worth anything?" Neville offered as his eyes landed on new features he hadn't noticed before.

"That will do. The red mist will rain blood later on," He beamed as he waved his wand at something behind him. Neville turned and jumped as a colony of bats flew out of the fireplace and perched themselves on the walls, twitching and trembling as though cold. Neville held his beating heart as he rolled his eyes.

"Very realistic," He breathed as Theo laughed.

"I'm glad you approve" Theo smiled as he strung up some more spiders webs from the bookcases.

Neville bit the inside of his lip for a moment before speaking again. He was probably overreacting, but he would never forgive himself if something happened and he could have stopped it. And with the number of hidden corners and distracting decorations, he didn't want to be the only one to have eyes on her.

"Theo, can I talk to you for a moment?" He asked. Theo looked at him, his smile dropping from his face as he spotted the serious expression on Neville's. He nodded before looking around the rest of the common room. They were a few others, but they stood chatting in the kitchen so they probably wouldn't be overheard.

"What's on your mind? Are you alright?" He asked, concerned.

"Yeah… I'm, yeah it's not about me" He stuttered. "I had a bit of a run-in with Cornfoot and Rivers in Hogsmeade. They suggested that they were going to try and get Pansy drunk and take advantage of her."

"What?" Theo asked in disbelief.

"Yeah. I don't want her getting hurt, I thought If I let you and Blaise know, we'll all be able to keep an eye on her."

"Firstly, we always keep an eye on each other. Eight years of being in the lowest regarded house. Constantly being picked on by anyone that isn't in Slytherin, teaches you that if you don't look after your friends, no one else will. Secondly, I think you underestimate how much it takes to get Pansy drunk. Blaise and I have been trying for years. Try not to worry. I'll mention it to them but don't worry."

Neville nodded. He felt better now that someone else knew. He smiled and went to leave when Theo called him back.

"So what are you coming as tonight?"

"I'm… erm," He struggled.

"You weren't planning on coming, were you?" Theo asked as he physically deflated. Neville shook his head.

"My head isn't in the right place for all this," He said as he gestured to all the decorations. "I'd just be sat in the corner bringing everyone down."

"That's not true, and you never know, this might be just the thing to brighten your spirits. I have a few things you can wear." He brightened. "Just come for an hour after the feast, if you're not having fun, you have my permission to leave. Deal?"

Neville sighed and nodded. The bag handles had started to cut into his fingers painfully, he would need to put them down soon. "Great, come on, come see what I have in my collection. You should hear the music I have for tonight. Professor Taylor has given me his entire collection of muggle music and his stereo. This party is going to go down in history, I promise." Theo announced as they walked up the steps to the boy's dorms.

He sat on his bed with the last of the presents wrapped and labelled. He felt quite proud of himself for being so organised. He glanced to the wardrobe and sighed at the costume that Theo had set him up with. It wasn't the worst costume in the world. If anything, it was rather tame than some of the others that had been discussed by his friends.

It was a three-piece suit which was striped with black, grey and purple, running down its length. A white shirt beneath with a purple and black filigree bow tie. The collar on the shirt was surprisingly large. There were a couple of props that went with it which seemed extremely mismatched, but Theo assured him that they were correct. One was a large cigar, and the other was a bat or stick from a muggle sport called Golf.

He had no clue of the character he was going as, only that it was a character from a muggle play that performed in their picture radio boxes. Theo was surprisingly well versed in a lot of Muggle popular culture, something which Neville was most definitely not.

Theo had offered to do his hair and face paint too. Neville had nodded, letting Theo do whatever he wanted. He reasoned that he would only have to wear it for an hour before going to bed, and it would mean he could keep an eye on Pansy and more importantly, Cornfoot and Rivers.

He knew that he would probably stay up as long as Pansy or the boys depending on who went to bed first. At least it wasn't something truly ridiculous, he heard that some of the boys were dressing up in blue tights and putting their underwear on the outside. He smirked at the thought before starting to load the presents into his wardrobe.

The feast would be soon, and they were supposed to get dressed up before attending. Neville felt queasy at the thought of eating again. He considered skipping the feast all together, But Hermione and the others would probably storm the dorms demanding he go. He rolled his eyes as he warded his wardrobe. There was no way he was going to let anything happen to those presents before they were given out. His mind returned to the pendant, and again he wondered what her face would look like when she opened it. He hoped that she wasn't going to be angry with him. The best he could hope for would be a smile and a nod as a thank you.

He tried to turn his mind to other things as he looked around his bedroom. He checked that everything but the chocolates and sweets for the girls were away. He would give them out tomorrow when everyone was hungover and in need of comfort. He rolled his eyes and took a deep breath before turning to find Theo.

The dormitories in Lumos tower were split into four sections. He assumed the girls were the same; however, he had heard that the stairs had the same charm on as the Gryffindor ones. One quarter was for the bathroom where the others were divided into three separate, interlocking bedrooms holding three beds apiece. He was in the furthest away, passing through the room that held Cornfoot, Rivers and Goldstein before reaching Blaise and Theo's.

He stepped in, and Theo was nowhere to be seen. He was just about to leave when he heard a whispered giggle come from Blaise's bed. That was not a boyish giggle, and he could never imagine that noise coming from Blaise's mouth. He stopped and turned only in time to find Hermione opening the curtains.

Neville gaped in surprise as Hermione spotted him. She flushed crimson before she tried to straighten her bushy hair.

"Hi," He muttered awkwardly as Blaise's head appeared out behind the curtain. Blaise gave a grin and a wave to Neville and appeared at complete ease over being caught.

"Hello Neville," Hermione muttered as she straightened her clothes. "I'm sorry, I thought we were the only ones up here."

"No… It's ok. Erm, have you seen Theo?" He asked, looked desperately for another subject. Hermione jumped on it too.

"I believe he's downstairs finishing off. The common room looks great, doesn't it?" She fiddled with her clothes as she looked around the room, avoiding his eyes.

"Yeah, great." He nodded as he inched towards the door. "Well, I'll erm… see you later, Theo said he was going to help me."

"Oh, great, yeah." Hermione nodded eagerly.

Neville turned to go but not before hearing Blaise pull her back into bed, causing her to shriek and giggle again.

He closed his eyes as he pushed through the portrait hole. He really didn't want to hear any more. He only hoped that this was the real thing for Blaise because he couldn't bear Hermione getting hurt. He wouldn't wish it on anyone.

After a double-take, he spotted Theo downstairs adding the finishing touches to the room. The pumpkins were ablaze as bleeding candles oozed over the tables. He had to admit that Theo had really outdone himself, the place looked amazing.

Theo was powdery white and muted from his clothes to his face. Everything about him screamed ghostlike. Neville wouldn't have been surprised if he had floated through him as he approached and braced himself for the sensation.

"You look great," Neville confessed as he got closer. Theo looked down at his renaissance style clothes and bowed.

"Why thank you, m' lord" He offered before standing again and laughing. "I am the Ghost of Lumos Tower." He smirked, "are you ready for your makeover?" He asked as he flicked his wand at something in the kitchen, causing a squelching noise to answer back. Neville cringed. It all looked great, but he dreaded to think who was going to tidy the place up afterwards.

He followed Theo back upstairs, his palms sweating at the thought of seeing Blaise and Hermione again. As they stepped in, Blaise was pulling on his costume, and thankfully, Hermione was nowhere to be seen. Blaise's outfit looked akin to military regalia with its navy coloured breeches and royal blue jacket which were both trimmed in gold. He was just trying the blinding white neck scarf as he turned. He smirked as he saw Neville.

"Sorry about earlier, Nev. We really did think we were alone." Neville nodded warily. "It's all so new, and we've been trying to keep it secret if you know what I mean?"

"Don't hurt her." Neville blurted, surprised at his own bluntness "Sorry, I meant-"

Blaise laughed and looked down as he pulled the frilly shirt cuffs through his blue and gold jacket sleeves.

"I understand, I have got a reputation which is completely deserved. However, Hermione is different. I'm hoping that this time it means something,"

Neville nodded, satisfied with the answer. "You once gave me the once over to see if I was good enough for Pansy. I would be a poor friend if I didn't do the same for Hermione. Treat her well."

"Neville, no offence, but do you really think I would risk pissing off Hermione Jean Granger? She'll blow my balls off, turn me into a billywig and then stomp on me with her shoe. No, her heart is quite safe."

Neville smirked and nodded. He wouldn't mess with Hermione either, He knew what she'd done to Rita Skeeter in their fourth year.

"Will you stop distracting him, Zabini! I need to work my magic on his head." Theo announced as he produced a pallet of paints in almost every shade.

"You're in safe hands, Neville," Blaise smirked as he waved his wand over his head. His lower legs, forearms and head began to grow golden fur like a lion. Neville watched, fascinated at the transformation. He couldn't remember ever learning that in Transfiguration but that didn't count for much.

"Woah, Blaise! You look amazing! Just how Walt Disney intended!" Theo announced.

"Who's Walt Disney?" Neville asked as he looked between the two former Slytherins. They shared a look and a shake of their head.

"Right, Longbottom!" Blaise announced "Tonight, we educate you in alcohol. Later we will educate you in the joys of Muggle pop culture! You are going to love it!"

Neville laughed uneasily at the thought of them educating him in alcohol. It had gone fine last time; however, tonight there was going to be no reason to stop drinking.

"Now, sit down," Theo said as he patted the bed beside him.

Neville moved forward uncertainly as Theo concentrated on his paints.

"How come you're doing it the muggle way?" Blaise asked as he sat down on his bed to watch as he platted some of the mane with little bows.

"Sometimes, the muggles get it right," Theo shrugged.

The room fell quiet for a while as Theo applied the makeup. The colour seemed to be a strange tanned colour as though he had baked in the sun. His mind wandered as he tried to ignore the cold, wet sponge dabbing at his face.

"I spoke to Sir Patrick yesterday." He said finally, receiving interested noises from both boys. He waited for a second before continuing. "He said it was Pansy's birthday soon. Is that true?"

There was suddenly a heavy silence as the dabbing stopped. Neville opened his eyes and looked at Theo. His face looked almost worried as he looked at Blaise. He turned to Blaise who frowned under the fur.

"It is." He finally admitted. Theo bit his lip as he continued with the makeup.

"What day?" Neville added, closing his eyes again.

"The third of November. But she doesn't like to make a big deal out of it, so, just forget it." Blaise muttered.

"Oh, How come?"

"We don't talk about it." Theo almost whispered as he applied the makeup. "If you want to know, you will have to speak to her about it, but I wouldn't recommend it." He warned as he put the orange paint down before picking up the black.

He felt more in the dark than before. It must have been something really bad to have put her off her birthday completely. He would probably never find out if it meant speaking to her directly.

It seemed to take forever for Theo to finish with his face and hair. His hair had been sleeked back with multiple hair gels, and his face felt like a strong emotion would make the paint flake off.

"Now, I'm going to powder you up to set everything, and then I believe we are done," Theo said happily, the previous conversation, forgotten.

"Let's see him!" Blaise said as he stood up. Neville heard him step closer as Theo assaulted his face with a cloud of powder. He coughed as he fanned the air around him to thin the particles in the air. "At least Pansy didn't need your help with her make up. You'd have run out of time!"

"What's Pansy going as?" Neville asked.

"I can't remember exactly. You'll have to see for yourself," Theo said airily.

Blaise whistled as he looked at Neville, his eyes bright with laughter.

"You need to go and get your suit on now! And don't forget the golf club and cigar," Blaise insisted, virtually pushing him out of the room.

Neville nodded and went to fetch it. He pulled it on as quickly as he could before returning.

They both looked at him and smiled.

"Cara Mia!" Blaise said with a laugh as he stepped closer to neaten his collar and to arrange the lavender coloured handkerchief in his breast pocket.

"Perfect!" Theo said with a satisfied nod. "Now, let us do the grand unveiling." He held the bathroom door open for him, allowing him entry.

Neville didn't recognise himself in the mirror. His hair seemed much darker as did his skin albeit slightly muted from the powder. He looked as tired as he felt with the darkened eyes and sharp eyebrows. The main thing that caught his eye was the dark, thin moustache which decorated his top lip.

He stepped closer to the mirror and admired the work from closer up. Theo had even painted in crows feet at the eyes to indicate age. It was a masterpiece.

"Well, Mr Addams, I would say that you are indeed ready to go to the party.

"Mr who?" Neville asked again.

"You are Gomez Addams," Blaise smirked from under his fur. "It's great, Excellent work, Notters,"

"Thanks, Theo" Neville nodded as he turned his head this way and that to get more perspective. "It looks brilliant!"

"Now let's go and get some food so that we can crack on with this party!" Theo said as he herded them all out of the door.


	40. Bleeding Skies

Authors note - Hey there, Thank you for getting this far with me!

Chapter 40! Wow! Well, this chapter is extra long as a thank you.

Also a special thank you to the guys in the Hermione's Nook Facebook group chat. This isn't a fest piece. However, they all help me with ideas and act as soundboards for what I have planned. A special thank you to Korsty, Nessie, Quinzee, Kira & Kora (Who you may spot dotted in and around the chapter)

I really hope you enjoy this extra-long instalment and I'll get chapter 41 out asap x

Please let me know what you think so far, in the comments! They really help keep me motivated 😊 Thanks again for reading!

Chapter 40 -

The whole school's eyes were on them as they entered the great hall, like a parade of colourful and wonderful monsters. He had to admit that some of the costumes were fantastic; Mandy Brocklehurst had come as a unicorn with a glittering, flowing mane that left butterflies floating in her wake. Terry Boot had dressed as a zombie, complete with what looked like rotting flesh. His costume got the strongest reaction from the rest of the school as it was dinner time.

His friends had pulled out all the stops too. Ginny had dressed as a character from a series of muggle books her dad had bought her as a child; Pippy Longstocking. Her long red hair was braided and curled up either side of her head. She wore a tight blue top which was mostly made of multi-coloured patches and a pair of mismatched brightly coloured stockings.

Luna's costume confused him the most. She had come as a rainbow fish which she had informed him was a salmon. As she walked through the hall, she started handing out scales to students who took them with some confusion. When asked about it, she had said it was an old druid tradition in Ireland, to spread wisdom and insight.

Blaise and Hermione had made a grand entrance hand in hand. Blaise, even in his finery and fur, was overshadowed by Hermione who beamed in her sunshine yellow ballgown. A few people gasped as they pointed. Hermione did look radiant with her hair pulled back.

A few people chuckled at his costume, the muggle-borns he presumed, as he held his cigar the way he'd seen his uncle Algie do. He tried not to rush to sit down with the others as he attempted to look cool and collected. It was only when all the eighth years were seated, he noticed that Pansy wasn't among them.

He looked to Theo in his ghostly white outfit and raised his eyebrows. Theo shrugged back to him as he looked around too. The only thing that kept Neville in his seat was that Cornfoot and Rivers were still in theirs. She was safe for now. He was just about to look for Hannah when Luna tapped him on the arm to ask him about his costume.

He knew that it was a trick to drag his attention away from Pansy, but before long he was held in a deep conversation about Salmon, Hares and Corn and their relations to wisdom and divine inspiration and about the Druid's belief in the great bard. He found what she was saying fascinating and so closely related to what they knew to be true.

Half an hour later, Neville had managed to eat a small pork pie, and that was only to keep the others from nagging him. Once the others stood, he followed, eager to be back in the common room and hopefully to find Pansy once he reached it.

The common room seemed so much darker and eerier in the darkness as they entered. Theo disappeared beyond the stairwell as unfamiliar music filled the space. In the curve of the staircase sat a table with a large cauldron filled with a steaming liquid.

"The smoking cauldron is a homebrewed Halloween punch. Please drink responsibly." He winked before scooping out the misty contents and pouring it into a cup. "Happy Halloween, everyone."

Neville followed suit as he got a drink. Then joined Theo next to the bookcase watching the party.

"You've done a really great job in here, it's terrifying," Neville said as he looked up at the clouds which had started to rain blood upon everyone. "Does that stuff stain?" He asked as he watched people beginning to panic about their costumes.

"Don't worry, the blood disappears after five minutes," Theo shouted in answer to Neville's question so that the others calmed down. "Thanks, I've wanted to do something for months to try and increase peoples morale and to make more friends. People still don't really like us because of which house we were in." Theo almost shouted over the music.

"So what's in the punch?" Neville asked, sniffing it before taking a sip. Theo laughed and winked before sipping his own.

"You know, a little bit of this and a little bit of that. I know that some of the cheery mead and dragon barrel brandy is in there along with some other stuff to give it an extra kick. You might want to go easy with it." He smirked as Neville shuddered with the alcoholic aftertaste.

Theo laughed and pattered him on the back in good humour.

"Have you seen Pansy yet?" He asked after a moment. Neville shook his head.

"Not yet, do you know why she wasn't at the feast?" Theo frowned for a moment.

"To be honest, she's not been eating the last week or so, but I suspect you both have that in common. She may not have finished her costume. She's going to look amazing when she appears."

"She always does," Neville muttered as he looked into his drink.

Theo tilted his head at him and smiled sympathetically before squeezing his shoulder.

"I'm sure she'll come around. She's never been very good at following her parent's rules."

Neville nodded before knocking back his drink. Theo laughed in surprise.

"I was serious when I said to take it easy. The punch is strong!"

Neville grimaced as the liquid burned as it rushed down his throat.

"It's not like I have to floo anywhere, is it?" Neville said with a shrug. Theo chuckled again and shook his head.

"No, I guess not." Theo chuckled before he continued. "Guess what?"

Neville frowned and shook his head.

"One of the castle ghosts stopped me to talk to me not realising I was a fleshy, The Bloody Baron was most impressed," He chuckled as he nudged Neville. Neville smirked and rolled his eyes.

"Which ghost?" Neville asked.

"Lady Mildred of Morpington, if I remember correctly. She floats around by the Divination tower normally. She felt most affronted by the costume!" They laughed for a moment before Theo's eyes covered the room. "Right, I'd better check that everyone's having fun and see whether I can find some fun of my own, you haven't seen Goldstein yet have you?" Neville shook his head before Theo grinned, winked and walked off.

Neville liked to watch people normally, but tonight he perched on a chair in the kitchen as he watched the students get gradually more inebriated. Some of the sixth and seventh years had crept in.

He waved to Korsty, Nessie and Quinzee from Hufflepuff who he took Herbology with. Korsty was dressed as a muggle vampire, all-black cloak and pale skin. Nessie was a mermaid with red hair and green tail, nothing like the creatures in the lake. Quinzee, he only guessed at because she had a sheet with eyeholes over her head, but the three of them were usually inseparable. Daisy followed close behind, dressed as a doll. She blushed as the others smiled and pulled her away. Some Ravenclaws turned up including Kira, who was in his Ancient Runes class, dressed as Medusa, the snakes even moved. She didn't see him, so he lowered his hand.

He recognised Kora from the Gryffindor common room. They were almost in the same costume, with the black and white striped suit. However, she had wild, luminous green hair and dark purple eyes. Probably another muggle pop culture character. She smiled with her bright green lipsticked mouth and waved to him as she got her glass of punch. As she walked off, she nodded in the direction of the fireplace. Neville rolled his eyes as she smirked and disappeared into the thickening crowd.

In the armchair closest to the fireplace, Blaise sat with Hermione on his lap. Fully absorbed in each other. He half expected them to be kissing, but it looked like they were in the middle of a passionate debate. Blaise had said that Hermione was different from the other girls. Maybe that was true after all.

Other couples were tucked away into dark and private corners as they kissed and talked. Groups of people loitered on the stairwell too. Luna was dancing in the centre of the room in time to the muggle music, and Ginny looked like she was enjoying every twirl and spin the girl did.

He looked back into the bottom of his cup as he debated whether he wanted another one. He had had three already, and his brain was starting to slow down. He looked up and saw Cornfoot and Rivers walking towards him. He rolled his eyes, but he was strangely glad to see them. While they were with him, they weren't with Pansy, wherever she was.

"Hey, Shortcock. Where have you hidden her? I thought she was back on the market?"

"Shut up!" Was all he could bring himself to say, his tongue felt swollen from the alcohol.

"So witty! Merlin knows why you weren't put into Ravenclaw!" Cornfoot chortled sarcastically.

Neville looked up at them and waited for his vision to catch up. The room swam a little as he tried to stare them down. Their hideous costumes were, he assumed, supposed to be muggle clothes. Still, like most pureblood wizards, they didn't have a clue how the regular muggle dressed. It certainly wasn't in denim shorts, a suit jacket and cowboy boots. Neville couldn't hide his smirk as Cornfoot stuck his chest out. "And what are you laughing at?"

"Your costume,"

"We're poking fun at muggles."

"Muggles don't dress like that, you're only making fools out of yourselves." Neville couldn't hold back the laughter as Cornfoot ground his teeth in anger.

"Steve? She's here!" Rivers muttered, but Neville heard him. He looked up and saw her.

He had to fight to stop his mouth from gaping as she walked towards them. She wore a green, high-legged leotard which appeared to be created solely out of ivy. Tendrils crept down her green, stockinged legs. Legs that seemed to go on forever, until they reached her calf-high heeled boots. He almost didn't recognise her with the blinding red hair she sported.

He felt the urge to look away, she wasn't for him any more. He turned to the other two men and glared as he saw the lust and hunger in their eyes.

"You keep your hands off her, Cornfoot. And you Rivers! Touch her, and I will end you both." He growled with gritted teeth. They sneered at him before they turned to greet her.

"Hey Parkinson, Looking good! Who are you?" Cornfoot leered as he looked her up and down.

Pansy rolled her eyes before turning to Neville. He felt his heart skip before looking away, scared that she would see the hope in his eyes.

"Wow, Parkinson, you look fit!"

"I'm Poison Ivy from Batman, it's a film."

They looked at each other with confusion before they turned back to Pansy and shrugged.

"Sounds great." Cornfoot offered vaguely "I like the costume, red hair really suits you,"

Neville disagreed, The red was too bright and harsh against her milky skin. It seemed to drown her eyes in fire, when she was all water.

"Would you gentlemen excuse me, I need to speak with Longbottom."

"Now what would you want to do that for? You know he's boring and lacking in certain areas." Rivers chimed in.

"I think I'm in a better position to know how well proportioned he is, don't you?" She added as she stood hands on hips. Neville looked away again as his heart thudded n his chest. He didn't want to hope.

The boys grumbled as they left. "We'll see you later," Cornfoot promised smugly before they disappeared back into the dim room.

It was only the two of them now as she moved closer. He still couldn't look at her. He stared at her boots as she stood before him.

"Nev, look at me."

He sighed as his heart sang at the sound of his name, leaving her lips. He looked up warily, like staring at the sun for fear of being blinded. His eyes travelled up the creeping ivy to her chest and finally, to the prize. Her eyes.

He had missed those eyes like a sailor missed the stars, lost on an ocean with nothing to guide the way. She looked down at him smugly as though knowing what affect she had on him. The reaction seemed off considering their recent separation, but he was too lost to care. His eyes dropped to her lips, those perfect pillows, currently painted as red and poisonous as Holly berries. He gazed with caution as he yearned for her.

"Why are you here?" He heard himself say. His head felt fuzzy and heavy as he went to take another swig of his drink, only to remember that his cup was empty.

"Shall I get us a drink and then we can talk?" She asked with a smirk. He nodded as she took his cup and stalked off. He couldn't help but watch her bottom as she walked away. How he had missed her. Every bone and muscle in him wanted her, needed her. Like a drowning man screaming for oxygen. She filled up his cup and got one for herself before returning. She smiled as she caught him gaping at her.

He swallowed as she draped herself over his lap. His heart leapt as his cock twitched when she wriggled on his legs.

She handed him his cup before taking a sip of hers. She started to cough before putting the cup down.

"Wow, that's strong!"

"Theo made it," Neville said dumbly.

"Oh, that would explain it, he always did drink stronger drinks than me." She giggled as she fiddled with the bow at his throat. Then, without warning, she wrapped her arms around him, bringing his face closer to her chest.

He couldn't take his eyes off her lips. They were so red and enticing. He wanted to take it and bite it like an apple and hear the sounds she would make.

As if reading his mind, she leant forward and pressed her lips to his. It was a chaste kiss with so little pressure, but it meant everything to him. He took a deep breath before shoving his cup on the table and pulling her close. It was like he could breathe again as he kissed her.

He pushed his fingers into her hair and pulled her close so that he could feel her, smell her. He licked her lip before sinking his teeth into the delicate flesh. He waited for her to mewl the way she had always done before.

He felt a smack to his arm and released her. He looked at her through his hazed vision and frowned.

"Ouch, Nev! That hurt, you idiot!"

"Sorry," He muttered in confusion and surprise as he tried to focus. His throbbing cock immediately deflating at the sudden put-down.

"Be gentle with me. I'm delicate." Neville nodded as she closed the gap again. Neville followed her lead, letting her guide the kiss so as not to hurt her again. There was something clumsy about the way her lips met his, as though they couldn't remember the shape of his.

"Is everything alright?" She asked as she pulled away again. He nodded as he reached for his drink. He heard it fall and cringed.

"Oh, Nev!" She groaned as she got off his lap. He was thankful that his cock had calmed somewhat since he'd bitten her.

"Sorry," He mumbled as he picked his cup up and magicked away the mess.

"You're so clumsy," She said as she sat back in his seat. She smiled, but it seemed strained.

"Erm, I'm going to get another drink, do you want anything?" She shook her head as she pulled a small vial out between her breasts.

"I've got my own stash," She smiled before swigging it back. She shuddered before closing it and pushing it back down. Neville nodded as he turned to leave her.

He approached the smoking cauldron and watched as the contents inside seemed to bubble and simmer. He held the table as he tried not to sway. How many cups of this had he had now? They all seemed to merge into one, but his legs and head told him differently.

Terry, Wayne and Roger were playing some sort of drinking game opposite Ginny, Lisa Turpin and Isobel McDougal. It looked like human wheelbarrows, but the person playing the wheelbarrow had to hold a cup in their mouth and drink. Roger fell first crashing into Lisa before they all fell about laughing. He sniggered himself when most of Terry's rotting zombie costume fell off, leaving the room divided between laughter and nausea at the spectacle.

Luna was dancing in the centre of the room, still randomly giving out scales to anyone who wandered close enough. Her costume looked more like a silver shift now.

He spotted Theo through the glowing haze and waved. Theo smiled and left the group he was with and walked over. He was going around to make sure that everyone was enjoying themselves. He beamed at Neville as he approached.

"How's it going? You've stayed longer than you were planning so you must be having fun?" He said with a wink.

Neville nodded uncertainly. He felt frustrated, as though he'd been built up and then denied orgasm. Something felt weird. He looked into the cauldron again and wondered.

"What's in this again?"

"Erm, like I said, Dragon Barrel Brandy, cherry Mead. Some Lobe-blaster, some redcurrant Rum, some muggle Vodka, and a splash of Vermouth mixed with some Elderflower cordial, why?" Theo looked concerned.

Neville frowned as he tried to pinpoint what was wrong. He shook his head when he couldn't seem to string together his thoughts.

"I just feel really strange. Like something's not right." He said. Theo laughed and took his arm and started to lead him back to the kitchen. Neville noticed that Blaise and Hermione's debate had turned into a passionate kiss and he felt unreasonably jealous.

"Come on, You've probably had too much. You need to sit down and have some water."

"Pansy's here." He muttered as Theo helped him to the kitchen where Pansy sat waiting.

"What happened? That wasn't the one I put out for you?" Theo asked her in shock, almost forgetting Neville and the water.

"So?" She asked as she stood up,

"What are you wearing that for? You'd have looked better in the other one, that one does nothing for your complexion."

"I think this looks better, It's so red."

Theo scowled before reaching to get some water for Neville, He handed it to him before carrying on.

"It is very red, but you hate red. Where did you get that costume?" He asked slowly as though talking to a child. Then, as if remembering who he was with, he pointed to Neville. "And what about your parents?"

"Who cares about my parents?" she asked flippantly before flicking her hair away from her face, exposing defined collarbones.

"Normally you do, what's going on?"

Neville let them talk as he sipped his water. He glanced into the bowl and almost spat his water back up. Large green eyes rolled and squelched towards him as he looked at them. He blinked to clear his vision and then looked again. They were still there, blinking back at him. He shook his head before looking back to Theo. They were probably another decoration, either that or a transfigurations project gone wrong. He shrugged as he tuned back into what they were saying.

"Just because you're a raving homo, doesn't mean you have a better dress sense all the time. Stop your shrieking."

Theo looked confused as he stood there with his arms crossed over his powdery chest. Neville could feel the tension between them. This obviously wasn't the normal banter they enjoyed when he wasn't around.

"You know? I sometimes, really hate you when you've been drinking. You're a complete bitch and not the fun kind."

"Haven't you got somewhere you need to be? Maybe kissing arse somewhere?" She offered without looking up from her mint green nails.

Theo's blush seemed visible even through the makeup.

"I hope she's nicer to you, Nev. Talk to you later." He said before he stormed out. Neville stared after him in confusion as he tried to blink through the pounding behind his eyes.

"Are you alright, Nev?" Pansy asked as she appeared in front of him.

"Think I'm drunk," He muttered as he rubbed at his eyes.

"Not too drunk I hope," She said in what he thought was supposed to be a seductive tone.

"For what?"

"I thought we could have some fun, you know, like we used to while you and Hannah were together,"

Neville frowned and rubbed his head. Why didn't anything feel right?

Pansy pressed forwards and started to kiss his neck, her kisses leaving wet patches in their wake. He frowned before grabbing her shoulders and pushed her back slightly.

"Me and Hannah broke up." He muttered. His tongue felt fat and clumsy as he tried to say the words.

"That's right. And we had some fun before that, didn't we?" Neville shook his head.

"No, after." He blinked at her. The room swam before him as she glowed incandescent before him.

"No matter. Did you want to take me to your room? We can have some fun."

"No, what about parents?" He muttered

"Forget them, they don't matter."

"But-"

"Nev, I'm offering you all this, everything you see and everything you don't. What are you waiting for?"

"I really don't think-" He tried to say, but she interrupted him as she rubbed at the bulge in his trousers.

"Take me like you did before our date when we missed breakfast? I want to feel you in me again" She shook his head, maybe he was drunk and dreaming. That would explain everything. "Make me feel good, Nev! I want you to… have sex with me again."

"Again? No, I can't-" Pansy turned and growled, throwing her hands skyward in frustration.

"Can't what, Nev? Can't get it up? Can't like women? Can't please women?"

"No-"

"Then what's the problem? Are you gay or something? Should I get Theo back in here?"

"I'm so confused" he started as he rubbed at his temples. This conversation was getting beyond him.

"I can see that! Bloody useless! I thought all boys wanted to do it, obviously not you! Are you damaged or something?"

"No, your parent's rules. We can't." His brow drew together as he tried to put his thoughts into words. Why couldn't she understand or seemingly remember the one rule that they had promised not to break?

"Hannah wrote to my parents to say that we'd been having sex everywhere. And lots of it!" Pansy laughed sardonically. "How wrong she was, right? You're nothing but a faggot!" She stood up and looked down at him, an ugly sneer on her face, which seemed so wrong on her usually pretty features. It reminded him of her earlier years but not quite.

"Pansy, wait! Remember we-?"

"No, Nev! You're about as sensual as an empty fruit basket. Why I wasted all that time with you, I'll never know. About as much initiative as a worker ant." Her eyes narrowed cruelly as if looking for the best place to land the killing blow. "Maybe it was sympathy, I mean it's not as if any woman has ever loved you, is it? Not even your simpleton mother!"

And there it was. Neville felt like someone had erased the sound from the world as static filled his head. He closed his eyes so he could concentrate on the sound of his breathing and the thud of his heart. How could she say something so evil? This was not his beautiful, kind, caring, soft Pansy. This was someone new whom he had never met before.

"What did you say?" He almost whispered as he opened his eyes. He blinked against the light. He could feel bile at the back of his throat. She couldn't have said what he thought he heard. He looked up at her and frowned.

"I said that your simpleton mother could never love you! Granger would prefer a Slytherin womaniser to you. Even Weasley and Looney turned gay to avoid you as an option!"

He felt his face flush as his blood began to boil. He swallowed as the anxiety and muscles clenched his gut. Tears pricked in his eyes as he glared at her.

"What the Fuck, Pansy?" He straightened and looked down at her. There was something wrong as he looked at her, and he couldn't work out what it was. With the vivid red hair and the makeup, she didn't look right. "You know what my parents went through! How could you say that? To me? My mother loved me the best way she could. What the fuck would you know about it?" He started feeling heat rush up his spine and flood the skin at his neck.

"Don't you dare use language like that with me, Longbottom!" He ignored her as he pushed away from the counter.

"How could you fucking say those things? What have I done so wrong to you? I've treated you like a queen. How could you?" Neville swallowed to get rid of the burning in his throat as it threatened to close.

"You are a waste of space, you have no friends, and you will amount to nothing. Like I could want someone like you? I intend to climb the ranks of the ministry, you will probably never leave school. Our relationship was a farce. Nothing but a fling... a laughable, charity stunt to increase my reputation." She looked him up and down and shook her head "Absolutely laughable!" She sneered as she turned to leave.

"So it all meant nothing? I meant nothing to you? At all?"

"You meant about as much to me as the dirt on my boots, something to be tolerated until I can wipe it off."

"How could I have even fallen in love with such an evil bitch?"

"Love? You fell in love? Why?" She seemed genuinely shocked and confused by this.

"Just fuck off. Cornfoot's up for a fuck if you're only interested in that!"

He turned his back on her and bowed his head as he tried to keep it together. His muscles trembled in his head as he clenched his teeth, sounding like thunder even over the music.

"Maybe I will," She shot back as her heels clicked out of the kitchen.

He released the shuddering breath as the child in him wanted to cry. Cry at the loss of his parents all over again. The man in him wanted to cry over the loss of Pansy. Not the Pansy that had walked out but the one he had gotten to know over the month they had been together. The one who had met him out at the greenhouses to hear him talk.

Maybe she was right? Perhaps he was unloveable and useless. He almost sobbed as the cry tried to force its way through his throat. He was already unloveable. He didn't want to be a cry baby too. He swallowed it down, for now. He could fall apart in his bed, but he needed to get there first. He took a deep breath and held it as he turned around and faced the room. He couldn't see Pansy anywhere nor could he see Rivers or Cornfoot. Obviously, she had taken them up on their offer. He tried to walk over to the cauldron and poured another drink and downed it.

If there was one thing he didn't want to remember in the morning, it was this. He had enough nightmares to choose from until he died, he didn't need any more. He poured another one and downed that too.

"Neville! What are you doing?" Theo asked, his voice panicked.

"Forgetting" He answered before downing a third. He wiped his mouth with the back of his suit sleeve.

"You've had enough, go to bed and sleep it off!"

"Pansy is a prize-winning bitch!" Neville slurred as he tilted towards the stairs.

"Yes, she is! Now come on. To bed."

"Myself," He muttered as he pulled away from Theo. "Myself,"

"Ok, ok," Theo said as he let go.

Neville stumbled towards the steps, treading on someone's fingers as he crawled up on all fours. About halfway up, the tears threatened to spill again as he paused to catch his breath. He cleared his throat and swallowed.

He swayed unsteadily before catching his shin on the stone staircase. He swore loudly and with feeling as he rested his head on the step above and clutched the pained limb. The floodgates leaked as he hit the stone in anger. He swore again when his hand started to throb.

"Neville?" Came a voice. The most perfect, beautiful, loathed, hateful voice he could hear. He looked up and there she stood, as stunning and as exquisite as he had ever seen her. She stood in her low cut, long black dress and with long black hair. Her perfect lips pouty and beautiful in crimson.

"Off to fuck Cornfoot?" he muttered through gritted teeth as the floodgates broke open completely.


	41. Incarcerous

The tears burned his face like acid as the cold steps leached every ounce of heat from him. His throat ached as the muscles tensed and trembled, holding his words prisoner. Another sob racked his body as he thought of her with him. The image of Cornfoot's hands being where his hands should be, killed something inside of him.

Why had she turned? He couldn't aline the two Pansy's together. Why had she turned into a malicious bitch? He guessed that he should have known that she would have an ulterior motive to be with him. It's not like he brought anything to the relationship except himself and his useless, worthless affection. She had looked disgusted when he had talked about love. His heart shattered all over again at the memory.

"Shit! Neville! Are you alright?" She asked again as she got closer, her heels clicking on the stone as she neared. He held out his hand to keep her away. He couldn't give her the satisfaction of seeing him like this. He tried to reign in his emotions, he couldn't give her more fuel.

"Just go, you evil, spiteful bitch!"

"What the fuck?" she said as she pushed his arm out of the way to get closer.

He opened his mouth to say more but shut it again. He suddenly felt ill. The tears had stopped, but his stomach churned as his internal organs flushed with ice.

"Going to be sick." He muttered as he stumbled towards the portrait.

"Come on," She said as she helped him up and through the entrance. He wanted to shake her off but knew that he had to concentrate on one thing at a time. He tried to put one foot in front of the other, but his legs refused to work as though they had disappeared. He tripped and fell, bringing them both down.

He knew it was too late the moment before he hit the ground. The sudden jolt triggered his stomach. He convulsed and spasmed as the poisoning alcohol left his body. He heard her groan next to him and cringed as another wave hit him.

When he was done, heat returned to his core as relief washed through him. He hated being sick, it made him so weak and vulnerable. Someone was stroking his forehead as he lay on the cold floor, transferring their heat to his clammy but cold brow. Something akin to a cool breeze rushed around him as he rested his head on the floor. The taste and smell of bile and alcohol had disappeared, which he was immensely thankful for. He opened his eyes to see Pansy looking down at him, her features serious and thoughtful as she caressed his face.

It wounded him so deeply to see her, so gentle and caring. This wasn't who she really was, he reminded himself. He wanted to believe that she could be his sweet Pansy again, but her words had hit their mark. He needed to know why she thought that he would let that go.

"Why my mom?" he mumbled before closing his eyes.

"Your mom?" He heard her mumble before moving. He desperately wanted her to go, but he couldn't bear her being away from him. A primordial part of him wanted to cling to her and never let go. Silence filled the air like a deafening pressure as he lay on the cold flagstones. He wondered if she had left him. Left him to wallow in a puddle of his own vomit and self-pity. "Come on! Get up," She said as she tried pulling on his arm.

"Just go, m'fine," he said as he tried to get to his feet. He wondered whether she had cast a jelly legs curse on him without him noticing as his limbs just wouldn't cooperate.

"Stop being a pig-headed Gryffindor and let me help you get up already!" She complained as she grabbed his arm again.

"M'not pig-headed!" He said as he pulled his arm out of her grasp again. "Useless remember?"

"Oh, Neville, Please! You're not useless. get up, let me get you to bed."

"M'not going to fuck you!"

"I should fucking well hope not!" He could almost hear the smirk in her voice. He didn't dare hope.

"Why my mom?" He asked again.

"Why your mom what?" She asked as she pulled on his arm again, This time he pushed himself up, desperate to get off the cold, hard floor.

"M'so angry at you!" he slurred as he stumbled against the wall. She hooked his arm around her shoulders as she guided him through the bedrooms. He closed his eyes and winced as her scent of cherries and violets hit him. He decided that the world was cruel.

"I get that, and I'm sure that you think you should be. But I have no idea what you are talking about." She said as she pushed him onto the bed. "I can't believe Theo let you get this wasted."

"You upset him" He mumbled against the darkness.

"What?"

"Wore poison ivy costume, he's pissed at you," He started to feel sick again. He hoped that if he stayed perfectly still, he could hold it off.

"That makes sense." She muttered.

"Sick," He muttered as his body turned cold and started to shudder.

"Accio bin," She said as she grabbed and held it under his head.

He gripped the metal bin as though his life depended on it. He swore to himself he was never going to drink again. He shivered as he convulsed again. He felt her stroke his hair as he hung over the bin. As his body calmed again, he almost fell asleep with her soothing his pounding head.

"Why you here? Take the piss? So what m'sick?" He asked

"Shush, and relax, once you've stopped throwing up I'll get you a glass of water."

"Stop!"

"Stop what?"

"Pretending to care," He muttered as he wiped at his mouth. He wondered whether he had actually just passed out and was dreaming, that would explain everything. "I know you're fake, only want people to like you." His tongue felt slightly less fat as he dropped the bin and rolled away from her "Let's get with Stupid Bonglottom. He's an idiot" he closed his eyes hoping the room would stop spinning. "I'm proud of my parents, my mom loves me in sweet wrappers, and I didn't turn Luna gay." He huffed. He patted his legs to make sure they were still there, he knew it was stupid, but he couldn't feel them.

"Neville, honey. I don't know what you're talking about." She whispered as she sat on the bed next to him, stroking his hair. He felt his heavy eyes closing as he enjoyed the sensation.

"No woman could love me, not even my simpleton mother." He muttered sleepily. There was a long pause, but her hand kept up its movement in his hair, sending him to sleep.

"Neville?" A voice whispered through the darkness. He shook his head and rolled over.

"Go away," He moaned.

"Neville, Come on, sit up."

"I'm asleep, come back later." He muttered into the pillow.

"Neville, please." It was the please that did it. He blinked into the dimness that surrounded him. His head felt heavy, and his tongue was leathery and dry. He looked around for the voice as he frowned. He pulled open his curtain to find Pansy stood next to his bed. He stilled as all the memories returned. He frowned harder as she smiled gently at him.

"Here," She said calmly as she handed him a glass of water. "Drink this."

He looked her up and down and felt his heart trip. The long black dress was skintight with long flowing sleeves. It flared out at the bottom, hiding her feet. It was the hair that seemed the strangest, after so long seeing her with green and purple hair, it was weird seeing her with her natural tone.

"No, thanks." He muttered as he let the curtain fall again.

"Neville, please." She pulled the curtain open and held the drink out to him again.

"I don't want it!" He threw his arm out and sent the water cup flying.

"Now that was just childish!" she huffed as she grabbed her wand and cleaned up the mess. She picked up the cup and refilled it using her wand. "Drink, it'll save you some of the pain in the morning."

"I said I don't want it, go away."

"Neville, please, drink this, and we can talk."

"I don't want to talk to you." He mumbled. "I don't want to fuck you either, so get out of my bedroom!"

He heard her take a deep breath and sigh before he felt the bed sink down behind him.

"Neville, darling. I've already told you, There will be no fucking,"

"Go find Cornfoot, I'm sure he'll show you a good time."

"The only way he could show me a good time is if he fell down the stairs headfirst." She mumbled dryly.

"So you're already thinking about a good time with him?" Neville accused. "Just leave me alone. Haven't you caused enough damage for one night?"

"Neville," She emplored, but he interrupted

"You made me think that we could be together after all, but then you rip it away from me all over again." He pushed his fingers through his hair and grimaced at the slimy gel. "I can't do it any more. I'm going to leave Hogwarts and join the Aurors, and then I won't have to see your face every day and know that you don't want me."

"Neville,"

"Stop tormenting me, you sadistic bitch."

"Right, that's enough of that!" She announced as she flicked her wand at him. "Incarcerous!"

He jumped when thin, snake-like cords erupted from the end of Pansy's wand and twisted themselves around his mouth and body, gagging and immobilising him in one quick movement. He growled against the bindings as they tightened and bit into him.

"Now, you once asked me what my pet hates are, I forgot to mention that I hate people interrupting me! So now that I have your attention, you are going to listen to me." She said as she lay on the bed next to him.

He huffed and rolled his eyes. He tried to look away from her, but he still felt completely enchanted by the curve of her cheeks as they met her luscious lips. They were a different shade than earlier, this was deeper and less poisonous looking than he remembered. Her eyes were pale and ethereal against her chalky skin and dark makeup. But even with the ghostly get up she seemed almost real, like herself again. Tears came to her eyes as she bit her lip, leaving dents int the perfect flesh.

"Firstly, I'm sorry for ignoring you." She sniffed "the letter I received from my parents informed me that I was to cease all forms of communication with you lest they disown me and pull all funding towards school. I panicked, and I didn't know what to do."

She pushed her hair behind her ears, the way he had always loved to watch.

"If my Aunt Euphorbia were still here, she'd be so annoyed with me," She mumbled as she shook her head. He watched as her bottom lip quivered a bit before she cleared her throat. "I found out that my Aunt had a muggle-born sweetheart when she had been at school. They were going to run away together, but something went wrong, and she never saw him again. She would be so disappointed if I repeated her mistakes."

Neville frowned around the ropes. He tried to follow what she was saying, but the bite of the cables was creating unexpected sensations through him. A sense of excitement and helplessness.

"But we can discuss that later. Right now, I want to discuss what happened downstairs."

Neville forgot the sensations as the hurt returned.

"I went downstairs to see Theo while you were asleep. It was the first time I had been downstairs since lunchtime." She looked at him as if waiting for something to register. He frowned harder. "I can see that you're still a bit too drunk for this, but here goes. Hannah stupefied me in the girl's dorms."

Neville tried to work out what she was saying. "Why did Hannah do that?

"Hannah was supposed to be at the party as Poison Ivy." She waited again for the news to sink in. Neville's eyes narrowed

"I can see you have questions. I'll remove the gag. However, if you start to interrupt me, I'll put it back again. Understand?" She asked

He nodded. The gag disappeared with a flick of her wand. He licked his lips as he considered his words. His brain still felt muddled and heavy, and thinking was unnecessarily difficult.

"So, you stole her costume?" He frowned, it didn't sound quite right. She chuckled and shook her head.

"No, She knocked me out and used Polyjuice potion to become me."

"But why?"

"I have a few theories, but I think she wanted to get you back. I used to hear her bitch about us in the girl's dorms when she didn't think that I was there."

"But why?"

"We'll go into that later, but right now, do you know what that means?"

"That someone is running around like you?"

"And?" She asked with a gentle smile on her face. He shook his head. His heart was beating a little too hard for being bound on the bed. He blushed as he realised that he liked the sensation of it. "It means that it wasn't me downstairs, whatever awful things she said, that was Hannah."

It was as though the world had stopped spinning at this. It clicked in his head and made sense. He looked at Pansy as if he hadn't seen her before. He felt the hope filling his heart, but he'd been burned before.

"How do I know that you're not Hannah?" She laughed, covering her mouth politely with her dainty hand.

"I somehow don't think Hannah would have cleaned you up and gotten you to your bed,"

"Or tied me up." He nodded. "but just in case. Tell me something about you that only I know,"

"My favourite colour is purple?"

"Too easy,"

"My middle name is Rose?"

He shook his head again and watched eagerly as her lips curved into the wicked smile that flashed a hint of teeth. He felt his cock twitch just at the sight. His eyes followed the curve of her neck down into her dress. He could see the valley between her breasts. He closed his eyes as the ropes bit in again. He bit his own lip as he tried to focus. When he opened his eyes, he caught her looking at him, her eyes drawn lower. She licked her lips as she met his eyes.

"I could tell you a story instead?"

"Oh?" He asked, his voice sounding breathy.

"Yes, the story of the hare and violin tapestry?" She grinned.

"Go on?" he urged as she smirked wickedly and shook her head.

"I will once you drink some of this water. You are going to have a killer hangover if you drank as much of Theo's punch as he thinks."

He pouted as she held the cup to his lips. She held it for him as he swallowed the cool liquid, making sure there wasn't too much. He glanced at her as she gazed at him. Her eyes were so much softer than the Pansy from downstairs. He lifted his chin which got her to stop pouring.

"Kiss me," He demanded suddenly.

"Drink some more first," She said with a smirked.

"Kiss me first," He asked. "Please,"

She rolled her eyes and smiled before putting the cup down. He watched as she lowered closer to him. He closed his eyes as he eagerly waited. Her lips touched his cold ones like a branding iron, tentative at first and then confidently as small kisses turned into longer slower kissed. Their mouths worked together, the way that they always had done. He caught her lip between his teeth and pressed his teeth into the flesh. He heard her sigh as he bit harder. She moaned into it before pushing her fingers into his hair. He felt her tongue rush against his lips as he released her. She stayed pressed against him as she continued to kiss him. He felt the world fall away. At this moment, in this bed, with her- he was home.


	42. Three Words, Eight Letters, One Meaning

Writing this, I was listening to – "Just You And I" by Tom Walker

Chapter 42 -

She pulled away slowly, her eyes like drowning pools. How Neville had missed her. His heart lurched as she pulled away as though bereft at the distance forming between them.

"Now drink some more water." She commanded breathlessly. He nodded as she flicked her wand, causing the bonds to evaporate. He flexed his fingers and sat up. He took the cup she was holding and downed it, the crisp taste refreshed his senses. He watched her for a moment as the silence spanned between them, only the faint sound of music filling the air. He handed her the cup, and she moved it out of the way. She studied her hands as they fidgeted nervously in her lap.

"So who are you supposed to be?" He asked huskily as he pointed to her outfit. She looked up surprised before looking down at her dress. She chuckled and smoothed the material over her legs.

"Morticia Addams" She snorted before glancing up to him. "I think Theo was trying to play matchmaker this evening."

"How come?"

"Did he not tell you anything about your costume?" She asked with a frown.

"He probably did but to be honest, I wasn't listening, I was only going down for an hour to keep an eye on you, and then I was going to make a break for it."

"To watch me?" She asked, her frown deepening.

He cringed as he rubbed his arm awkwardly. "Cornfoot and Rivers said they were going to… have fun with you, regardless of consent." He said delicately.

She sat still for a moment as she looked at him. "And you were going to watch me? To make sure I was alright?"

He nodded and looked away bashfully.

She put her hand on his face and turned him back to her. Her eyes glowing like the surface of the moon. She stole his breath away. "My stubborn, brave, chivalrous lion," She said softly. A faint blush appeared under her makeup, just warming her cheekbones. "Thank you,"

"I couldn't… I would never have forgiven myself," He said as he tried to avoid the look in her eyes. So tender and open.

"Shush, I'm fine." She assured him.

She turned to him more fully as she smiled. "Well, Morticia is the mother of this cooky family. She is sophisticated, intelligent, can speak fluent French. She is also deeply infatuated with her husband. They enjoy waltzing and do so often. They kiss each other passionately and would die for one another, believing that life without the other is the only true death,"

He nodded as she looked away and smiled bashfully. She chuckled slightly as she picked at a thread in the dress. "Gomez Addams is Morticia's husband." She glanced up at him before dropping her eyes again.

He blinked, and it clicked. He was Gomez Addams. Theo was a Slytherin indeed with his cunning machinations.

"Well, in that case, would you care to dance?" With a shy smirk, he offered her his hand. "As long as my legs will work properly that is,"

Her mouth parted in surprise as the blush on her cheeks deepened. She nodded and took his hand as he moved off the bed.

They faced each other nervously as Neville put his hand on her waist. She hesitantly slid her arm around his shoulder as he held her other hand against his chest. The steady beat from the music downstairs allowed them to sway in time to something. Her eyes were averted bashfully as he held her close. He took a deep breath and luxuriated in the scent of her.

The world had righted itself as he held her, feeling her heat against his chest.

"Neville?" She whispered.

"Mmm?" He replied as he looked down.

"How on earth did a clumsy fourteen-year-old boy learn how to dance so gracefully?" she smirked and the energy between them changed, relaxed. He laughed, not expecting the question.

"I'm surprised you remembered, it's not like you even glanced in my direction at the Yule Ball."

She bit her lips and looked away. "I may have glanced, once or twice," She shrugged.

"Yeah, ok." He replied sarcastically before chuckling.

She sighed as she put her head on his shoulder as they swayed from side to side. He closed his eyes as he rested his head on hers. Maybe it was the alcohol talking, perhaps his Gryffindor nature was seeping through. He opened his mouth to speak but hesitated, "Do you remember that night in the greenhouse?" He asked.

"You mean where you almost shot me?" She asked without lifting her head, but he felt her smile against his chest.

"Yes, when I almost shot you." He replied as he kissed her hand where the sparks had caught. "Do you remember you wanted me to talk about things?" She nodded. "You said to treat you like one of my flowers, that you wouldn't talk back, you would just listen."

She nodded again before looking at him, a curious look on her face.

"Just let me get it out, you don't have to say anything, you don't have to do anything, but I need to say it."

"Ok," She said before resting her head back onto his chest.

"You're the best thing that ever happened to me. I scare myself every day with just how much I want you, but I want you all the same. I love you. I don't care how complicated things get, or whether you say it back, but I do."

He felt her stiffen in his arms, and he cursed himself. Had he ruined everything with his big mouth? He kissed her head before she could move away from him. She pulled back, and her face was carefully blank, only her eyes gave away any emotion. Tears gathered in her dark lashes.

"Like I said, you don't have to say it back." He said as he cupped her face, eager to reassure her.

She shook her head and looked away. He cringed as she gently pulled away and sat down on the bed, leaving him to stand alone. "Have I ruined everything? Pretend I didn't say anything."

She focused her eyes on a spot somewhere on the floor as she clasped her hands in her lap. He rubbed at his face and swore in frustration. He knelt down in front of her and covered her hands with his. The mounting tears escaped in large fat drops onto her dress. "Please don't cry. I'm sorry. I take it back."

"You can't," She said with a shake of her head.

"I'm sorry,"

"Stop accepting liability!" She chuckled weakly as she wiped at her face.

"But you're crying, and it is my fault," He frowned.

"Only one person in my life has ever told me that they loved me," Neville frowned at this tragic confession as he stroked her hands. "It just caught me off guard." She admitted as she looked down at their hands together.

"So, we're ok?" He asked tentatively. She nodded and smiled as she looked up at him. "And I don't have to take it back?"

"You do, and I'll kill you," She sniffed. Neville laughed as the panic in his chest loosened.

"No, you wouldn't because you wouldn't want to live without me," He laughed. She joined him as she pushed the rest of her tears away.

"True," she nodded. "Now kiss me." She demanded.

"Ok, my love." He grinned as she pulled his lips towards hers. He pushed his hands around her face and held her tight as he took control of the kiss, pouring in every ounce of love he felt for her into it. She moaned at the little nips he made at her lip and squeezed his hips as he moved to kneel between her legs. Her dress bunching up to her thighs.

He let out a shuddering breath as her noises reverberated in his soul, hardening him immediately. He pulled her hair back, tilting her head up, giving him access to her neck. He trailed kissed down the pale skin, he bit gently with his teeth, making her shudder. She reached up to grab his head and groaned, but not in passion. He smirked and pulled away from her neck to look into her eyes. He hand had touched the gel in his hair.

"Maybe we should get cleaned up first." She offered, her eyes fluttering closed as his thumb brushed one of the protruding nubs in the front of her dress.

"Probably wouldn't be a bad idea." He nodded before biting her neck again. She shuddered and wrapped her legs around him, pulling him closer. His cock brushed against her core, and they sighed together at the friction.

"No Fucking! Remember?" She remarked with a huff of laughter.

"Absolutely!" he agreed with a grin as he pinched at her nipple. "Everything else is allowed though, right?"

She nodded eagerly as he straightened his legs, pushing her back into the bed. He pulled the curtain closed behind them as he claimed her lips again.

With one hand he slid the dress up her thigh to expose her sexy black stockings. He growled as he felt the lace with his fingers.

"You know how much I love these things!"

She nodded with a grin before lifting her bottom from the bed. He took the opportunity to push the dress higher, exposing the tiniest pair of knickers he had ever felt. He paused and pulled away as he looked down, a small patch of material separated him from her most valuable treasure.

He could practically smell her arousal as she took the opportunity to pull the dress completely off. He knelt, utterly speechless as he gazed down at her.

She smiled shyly up at him as she lay naked from the hips up. His mouth grew dry.

"You are so beautiful" He whispered as he lowered his face to her chest, taking one of her nipples into his mouth.

She cried out as her hands twisted into the material of his suit jacket.

"Neville," She breathed into the air, the desperation in her voice stealing his breath and stilling his heart.

He needed to hear her, feel her, undo her. He gripped her breasts, sucking one while pinching the other. Her eyes fluttered closed as she clutched her hair, pulling off the wig. He smiled at the sight of the green and purple as he bit into her nipple. The wig went flying as she flung her arms wildly out.

He lifted his mouth from her nipple before blowing on it and watching the abused flesh, pucker. He moved his lips to the valley between, trailing kisses across her skin. He needed to brand her. She was his. He latched his mouth to her breast and sucked hard. She cried as he pinched her nipples together, bucking her back as he did so.

He moved his hand down her body, stroking the skin between his face and her bottom. He slowly worked his way to his target. She mewled and moaned as his hands stroked and tickled as they went. Watching her squirm was irresistible.

"Please," She cried as his hand found the small patch of material keeping him from his prize.

He lay beside her and whispered into her ear as his fingers moved over the delicate lace. He could only imagine how infuriating this was, but he wanted her to beg. He wasn't sure where this new side of him had come from. Maybe it was the loss of her making him bold, wanting to do everything he wanted with her.

"I believe I'm ready for that story,"

She blinked at him, her eyes glazed and unfocused as she tried to understand.

"What story?" she gasped as he moved a finger and slid it under the material and into the hot folds of her. Her eyes closed as he slowly caressed her.

"The one about the hare and violin tapestry." He smiled. She was flushed and red and stunning. She chewed on her bottom lip as he worked her up further into a frenzy

"Neville, I- mmm" She moaned as he increased his speed.

He took pity on her and leant forward, taking her lips in his. He ushed his fingers further inside her as his thumb continued to work at the ball of nerves. She cried out against him as she gripped his hair, completely oblivious to the gel this time.

She began to pant and buck against him as he pounded his fingers into her. He let go of her lips and nibbled on her nipple again. She cried out, and he thought maybe that he'd hurt her at first, but she continued to move with him, gripping and pulsating around his fingers. He longed to one day be able to plunge those depths the way he was meant to, feeling her throb and clench around his cock. He wouldn't push for it though, he knew it would be worth waiting for.

She arched off the bed as she clawed wildly for something to hold onto.

He moved his mouth next to her ear as she hovered on the edge.

"Come for me, my love." She nodded jerkily and screamed in response as he flicked his thumb against her clit one last time. She clenched around him so tightly that he couldn't have moved anymore if he tried. He drank her in as her breasts quivered as she fell to pieces, her skin dappled in goosebumps and sweat.

When he was able to, he pulled out his fingers slowly. Pansy moaned feebly in complaint causing him to grin. He wiped his hand on the bed, it needed cleaning anyway, his hair gel was everywhere. He pulled her to him and took her lips and gently kissed life back into her as she lay boneless in his arms.

He stroked her cheek and brushed the hair away from her face. Her lips were bitten red, the crimson lipstick, long gone. She smiled blissfully as she blinked up at him. She sighed and held his cheek.

"I missed you so much!"

"Only because I'm good with my hands" he winked and kissed her head.

"That too!" She nodded as she cuddled closer to him.

"Hold that thought." He said as he climbed up and away from her. He grabbed his wand and cast a quick cleaning spell on the sheets and his hair, removing the last remains of the gel. He would need a proper shower in the morning, but this would do for now.

She watched him then, as he started to undo his tie, and then his shirt before sliding everything off.

"Keep this up, and I'll be wanting to go again," She grinned as she looked down her body at him.

"Keep looking at me like that and I may insist upon it." He laughed back as he started undoing the fly.

She chuckled as she scooted up and under the cover, shimmying beneath and hiding her nakedness. He pouted playfully.

"Well hurry up so that you can join me." She said with a roll of her eyes and a smirk.

Neville grinned as he slid everything off and dumped them outside his curtain. He left his boxer shorts on as he wriggled in next to her. He was desperately eager to hold her, feeling her skin on his.

Her cool skin was soft and goosepimpled as he pulled her back flush against his chest. He nestled his head in the space at the nape of her neck and breathed in her sent, mulled cherries and powdered violets.

"I missed you desperately." He whispered into her skin. "Every breath was agony,"

"Don't leave." She muttered quietly.

"Leave?" He asked, peering over her shoulder.

"Don't join the Auror's, stay at Hogwarts and finish out your final year," She said solemnly

"Why? I thought you liked the idea of me in uniform." He expected her to laugh, but she didn't.

"Just promise me! Regardless of what happens between us, you'll sit your exams?"

"Alright, I promise," He agreed seriously.

"I would never forgive myself if you dropped out. Without your N.E.W.T's, you'll never be eligible for any research grants or expeditions nor will you be qualified to join the faculty when Sprout eventually leaves."

"Ok, I promise." He nodded.

"Good," She nodded as he settled back down. "And Neville?" She asked sleepily as she wiggled back into him, forcing them even closer.

"Mmm?" He murmured.

"I love you too!" He smiled and kissed her skin as they settled down to sleep. His heartfelt light and fluttery as the words bounced around it. She loved him back. Heaven was here with her in his arms.


	43. Battle Plan

The pain behind his eyeballs was intense, and he became aware of it before he'd become fully conscious. As though the pain had leeched his sleep and had grown fat from the nightmares. He groaned and pressed his face into the pillow as though trying to hide from the growing ache. Something trapped his arm against the bed, stopping him from turning away fully.

Even the glint of light through his curtains was too much. Squeezing his eyelids together, blotted out the pain for a second, but it returned with a vengeance. He pressed his free hand to his eyes, anything to relieve the pressure. He felt the weight trapping his left arm shift slightly before he heard the curtain twitch.

"Darling, drink this." Her husky voice came as a glass vial was pressed into his hand. He didn't dare open his eyes to look at it before he uncorked and downed it. The taste of pepper filled his mouth as he swallowed it. He almost gagged at the feeling as he tried to keep it down.

He felt his body start to heat up as steam began to escape from his ears. He opened his eyes as the agony through his temples cleared. He looked around the dim bed and spotted Pansy peeking up at him through half-closed lids. She smiled sleepily with her beautiful pouty lips. It took a moment for him to remember the events from the night before.

He smiled sleepily back to her as he pushed to bottle onto the bedside table and snuggled back in with her.

"Good morning," He whispered. As he tucked his forearm under her arm, pulling her tightly to him. She sighed contentedly before replying.

"Morning," She murmured back. With every second that passed his headache seemed to lessen and the fog clear.

"Did you just give me a pepperup potion?" He caught the edge of her smile as she nodded. "I thought they were only good for colds?" He replied. She shook her head as she rolled over to face him, her arms tucking underneath his so that he still cocooned her. She looked up at him, her eyes like smoke on water.

"I learned long ago that pepperup potions are the best cure for a hangover." He kissed her forehead and smiled.

"Thank you,"

"No problem." She sighed back as she nuzzled into his neck. They tangled their legs together as if afraid the other would be ripped away. "How did you sleep?" she asked, tightening her thighs.

"Like a log, you?"

"Like the dead," She grinned as they shared a heated gaze.

"I love waking up with you." He whispered as he kissed her nose. She wrinkled her nose but grinned.

"As do I," She replied as she tilted her head so their lips could meet. It was a gentle and warm press of silken lips as her skin was pressed against his own. Her mouth parted as their tongues met. A slow and gentle caress against one another. Deliberate and sensual as they enjoyed their corner of paradise.

He loved this side of her, delicate and tender, full of whispered words and warm touches. It didn't need to be anything sexual between them, just the intimacy and being able to feel her was enough.

She pulled away slowly as she stretched, arching her back within his arms. He glanced down and could see her ribs through her skin. He frowned.

"You've not been eating." He said, remembering what Theo had said as he stroked her hair.

"Neither have you."

"Yeah but I still had weight to lose, We should try and make it to breakfast this morning" He lowered his hand and rubbed the soft skin of her stomach.

"I'm pretty sure most of our year won't be there this morning, no one will notice if we don't show up," She winked playfully.

"We both need to eat something. I, for one, want energy, just in case," Neville winked back as he kissed her again. She giggled playfully as she kissed back enthusiastically.

"Can't we just stay in here and leave the world to go on without us?" She asked as they parted.

"If only," He muttered wistfully. She snorted as her mood changed, going from relaxed to contemplative. She stared up at the canopy and chewed on her lip, her brow furrowing thoughtfully. "A Knut for your thoughts?"

She sighed heavily as they turned to face him, her gaze still distant as she responded "I'm trying to anticipate our next move,"

"Our next move?" Neville asked curiously.

"I sometimes forget that you are a pureblood. How delightful it must be to go through life without having to strategise before doing anything."

"Strategise? You make it sound like we're going into battle." He started to chuckle, but it died in his throat when her face remained serious. She sat up and gripped her knees to her chest as she thought. "Love?"

She smiled brightly at the word before turning and cupping his face. "It is like going into battle." She said as the smile dropped from her lips. "Everyone out there has got the power to ruin you and to bring you down and dash your dreams. As soon as we open these curtains, everything we say and do will be scrutinised by others, and once they see our actions and hear our words, they will be beyond our control."

"You make the world sound like such a scary place," Neville frowned. He couldn't believe that was how she saw the world.

"Whereas you make it sound like such a wonderful place." She smiled back sadly. "The life of a powerful pureblooded family is like forever being on display and for people waiting for you to fuck up."

He looked at her and could almost see the weight of the world, lowering onto her delicate shoulders. It was obvious that she needed to strategise. The least he could do was help her.

"So what weapons do we need?" He asked, sitting up beside her. She smiled, wider this time as he offered her his hand.

"Thank you," She squeezed it before kissing the back of his hand before staring off into nothing again. "As soon as we step out of here, Hannah will probably write to my parents again." She said coldly.

"What did they say before?"

"My father…" She corrected. "My mother never writes. He said the usual unpleasant things and threw in a few threats for variety. He said that unless I broke off complete contact with you, I would be disowned etc. etc."

"Hannah, as you, said that she'd written to them saying that we'd had sex everywhere and lots of it."

"Yes, that was mentioned, numerous times," She said sourly.

"What did he say? Do you have to go to St Mungo's?" He asked

"He said he wanted proof that I was still… untouched." She looked away and seemed to fold in on herself. "And no, not St Mungo's, I had to go to Pomfrey instead." She whispered quietly as she pulled her legs closer to her chest. He watched as the knuckles on her fine fingers trembled and turned white.

"What?" He almost shouted, "When?" He asked as he pulled her into his chest.

"Last Wednesday, during my free periods." She sighed.

"Then what?" He asked. He wasn't sure what the test was exactly, but from her description, he wasn't sure he wanted to know.

"Madam Pomfrey had to write to him to confirm that I'm still in saleable condition." She sighed unhappily.

"I'm sorry, did you say saleable?" He whispered horrified. She nodded

"That's basically what arranged marriages are. When you are a pureblood girl, you are a product that another pureblood family will want to buy. If you are sullied or damaged, you won't get as high a sale price" She sighed.

"I never thought of it that way," He said as he held her closer. Ignoring the obvious twinge in the back of his skull. "I'm so sorry!"

"Stop accepting liability!" She said as she tried to smile. "None of this is your fault!"

"If you weren't with me, you wouldn't have had to be examined again." He was horrified.

"No, If my dad wasn't such a prick and Hannah wasn't so bat shit crazy" She shook her head.

Silence passed between them as he held her close hoping to squeeze and soothe out all the bad memories, leaving only love, warmth and comfort behind. He sighed as he tried to think of something to say, anything that could help take her mind off things. He couldn't go back and change anything, but he could help her prepare for the future.

"So, what's our battle plan?" He asked as he came around to her way of thinking. This did require delicate planning and careful actions.

"Firstly, we cannot raise suspicions again. I shouldn't be here, but I couldn't just leave you on the stairs." She shook her head.

"Thank you," He replied with a shudder as he remembered his scene on the stairs and in the portrait hole. "I'm surprised you stopped, I was a mess."

"You were, but I love you, so, it comes with the territory." She said with a warm, growing smile. His heart stuttered as she said the words. He wanted to jump around the bed in celebration. "I love your dopey smile when I say something sentimental" She smirked as she touched his lips with her fingers. He kissed them, and she shook her head. "It makes sentimentality worth it."

"I love you too," He grinned as he pulled her back in for a kiss. She smiled against his lips as a blush coated her cheeks.

"So, I'm hoping that almost everyone is as hungover as you were, so I'm going to creep back to the dorms and get washed and dressed. When we're at breakfast, we shouldn't talk to each other and should really refrain from looking at each other if we can,"

"And how do you expect me to keep my eyes off you? Especially when you dress to catch my attention?" He smirked cheekily, and she chuckled.

"I can't help the fact that you are attracted to me," she raised her eyebrows haughtily "it's a bad decision on your part, really,"

"So, the stockings that you wear and the short skirts are just coincidental?"

She grinned and nodded before kissing him on the nose. He sighed. It was going to be hard enough not talking to her or looking at her, he'd had his fill of that. He knew it was going to be a lot of effort, but It was something they had to do.

"When can I see you again?"

"I'll owl you, we need to be careful and sneaky," He nodded.

"What about tonight? If it's a clear night, we could meet up at the greenhouses?"

"That's not a bad idea." She nodded.

"I wish Hannah wasn't here, without her, we wouldn't have to worry. No one else cares that we're together." Pansy nodded. She got to her knees slowly as she got ready to leave, flashing her tiny knickers. His eyes couldn't help but follow that small patch of black lace. She swayed her hips slowly before lifting his head. She looked at him and her cheeky gaze softened. Her gaze was almost painful to see, so full of love and regret and want.

"One day," She sighed, "I dream of giving you everything." She smiled sadly as she kissed him. He splayed his hands out across her back as he pressed her front to his chest. He took her breast into his mouth as he gave it a cheeky nibble. His heart skipped a beat at the sigh that escaped her mouth. She was utterly sinful and his wildest dream. He grinned as she pulled away, they were even now. He tried to remember every smell, taste, sensation of her to tide him over. She pulled away slowly with a playful glare.

"As do I," He confessed with a grin.

"I love you. I'll see you later." She smirked before peering out around the bed. She grabbed her dress and pulled it over her head before disappearing from sight.

He lay back in his bed, a strange bittersweet sensation filling his chest. She loved him back, which filled him with so much happiness he could float away on the breeze; but they had to pretend that they were still apart, which meant not being able to touch her. It was going to be torture.

The great hall was mostly subdued as the younger student pointed and laughed at the older students, most of which were hungover. A silent agreement had been made that Theo's punch recipe was banned from any further social gatherings. The only people who appeared to be unaffected were Pansy, Neville, Theo and Blaise along with a handful of younger Slytherins. Apparently, only the green and silver house knew the dual function of the Pepperup potion.

Neville looked at Hermione and wondered why she was struggling. He frowned at Blaise, catching his eye as he eyed Hermione. He shook his head, and with a roll of his eyes shrugged.

"Did Blaise not tell you about Pepperups?" Neville asked quietly as she pushed her porridge around the bowl with her spoon deliberately.

"It's not meant for hangovers," She argued hoarsely.

"No, but it is supposed to make you feel better, you should take it." He retorted. "Ask him if he has another," He urged before tucking into his sausage, bacon and egg sandwich.

Ginny glared at him, as a green tinge came to her unusually pale skin. She closed her eyes and shuddered as she sipped her black coffee. Even Luna, who was propped up against the redhead, was struggling. However, Neville guessed that her ailment was lack of sleep, nothing more. As if on queue, she yawned loudly as she put yet another spoon of sugar into her tea. He had counted about six already. He grimaced at the thought of drinking tea that sweet.

They all glared at him in turn. And he couldn't help but feel cheerful. He would need to buy Pansy flowers as a thank you in the very least. He shrugged and continued with his sandwich as his stomach growled impatiently. At the thought of her, he had to stop his head instinctively, turning to find her. She was like a magnet, drawing his eyes almost uncontrollably. He fought the urge although the corners of his mouth tugged up into a smug smile as he thought of her draped out before him in nothing but those tiny knickers.

Unconsciously, like a moth to a flame, he glanced to her. He watched as she almost silently described something to Theo. He couldn't help but stare when her eyes rolled back in her head. A few moments later, she bit her lip excitedly. He was hoping he knew what she was retelling to him. It was confirmed when Theo glanced his way. It took everything he had to not grin when Theo winked at him. He gazed down to brush off some crumbs from his lap to hide his blush.

"What's going on?" Ginny asked, her bloodshot eyes narrowing suspiciously as she pointed one of her fingers from its resting place against the cup.

"Sorry?" Neville asked, his face slowly dropping as he looked up at her. She released her cup with her right hand, leaving it to hover in her left. She wagged her finger at him accusingly.

"We have all been nagging you to eat for over a week. Now all of a sudden you are eating the largest sandwich known to man?" She swallowed and closed her eyes as she covered her mouth with her hand. There was a long pause, but she didn't finish. Neville wondered whether she was going to be sick.

"She's right, Neville," Luna said with a yawn. "Did the Grubsnorks get to you?" They all looked at her, including Ginny in confusion.

"The what?" Hermione asked,

"The Grubsnorks, they're the reason your stomach growls," Luna replied as if it was the most sensible answer.

"Yes, the Grubsnorks started to get restless," Neville replied before having another bite of his sandwich. Ginny turned away with a frown, unable to even look at him.

"She is right," Hermione whispered. "Is everything alright?" She asked before looking up at him.

"Things are… complicated. I'll tell you more later," He replied as he wiped his mouth with his napkin. She nodded as she glanced around at the table. There were too many ears that could overhear.

His mind went immediately to Hannah, and he looked around the tables for her. He frowned suspiciously when he couldn't see her. He wondered whether she was avoiding him, he knew she wouldn't be hungover, she had barely touched the punch. He frowned as he considered the night before. He wasn't sure he would be able to hold his temper if he saw her again this morning, so it was probably for the best.

Blaise, sitting next to Hermione, subtly slid a vial towards her, and this time she took it. She pocketed it before others could see what it was. Her eyes caught his gaze before she rolled her eyes and winced. Neville took a generous gulp of his cooling tea before picking up a chocolate pastry. He was ravenous.

As he reached for the treat, movement from the head table attracted his attention. Professor McGonagall had stood and looked around the great hall, Her lips set into a grim line. This didn't bode well.

"Good Morning, Students," She shouted, her voice bouncing off the walls. The announcement drew hisses and gasps from the suffering older students and snickers from the younger ones enjoying their misfortune. "Happy November," She started. "Please can every student that went to the Eighth year party last night please remain behind after breakfast. Thank you." She nodded before returning to her seat.

They all looked at each other with confusion as they waited for the lower year groups to filter out.

Once they had left. Professors McGonagall and Flitwick moved closer, their faces stony and serious as they surveyed the gaggle of students slumped over their breakfasts.

"Good morning party goers. I trust that everyone is feeling bright-eyed and bushy-tailed this morning." She said sarcastically before continuing. "There has been an incident, and I need to ask you all some questions while we investigate. If you could all accompany me to Professor Flitwick's office, I will conduct my investigation there." She stood as she waited for them to stand and move before she led the way from the great hall.


	44. An Unexpected Visitor

Neville watched as nervous glances and fearful expressions walked passed him, as he waited for Hermione and the others. He stopped his eyes from darting to Pansy and satisfied the need by finding her green, high heeled boots in the crowd. Once spotted, he turned and followed the flow of people through the huge doors of the great hall and down the corridor to Flitwick's office.

The hallway was filled with people milling around as almost three year-groups hovered outside of the classroom. Neville was easily one of the tallest as he leant against the wall, people watching. His stomach growled again, and he really wished he'd grabbed that chocolate pastry.

His eyes passed over the others as they sat and stood in their small groups. Ginny was draped pathetically over Luna in one of the window arches as Hermione and Blaise leant against each other by the pillar to the window arch. Neville stood, slightly apart as he stuffed his hands into his pockets. His eyes caught a glimpse of Pansy's long black legs and trademark miniskirt before glancing away. He was sure that at the top of those stockings there would be lace. He felt her eyes on him and bit the inside of his mouth to stop from grinning. He knew that she'd noticed when she bit her lip in his peripheral vision before turning away.

The door to Flitwick's classroom opened as Professor McGonagall stepped out, her navy blue gown flowing behind her. He expected to see Professor Flitwick next; however, a pair of uniformed Aurors appeared. The crowd fell into silence at the sight of the Aurors. If they were here, things were serious. He caught the taller one's eyes and in an instant recognised Ronald Weasley.

With his smart new grey uniform and his hair slicked back, the redhead was virtually unrecognisable. He had also started growing a beard which made the nineteen-year-old appear older. Ron noticed him and offered an almost imperceptibly before focusing back on the captive audience before him.

"Good morning. If I may have your attention please," Said the older Auror. The wizard stood a couple of inches shorter than Ron, but what he lacked for in height he made up for in his bearing. The older man stood with a determined and formidable stance that exuded experience and confidence. Neville could see that the Auror was burly and with a build-up of stubble on his jaw, he looked quite intimidating.

The crowd remained silent as they waited for him to address them. "Thank you, I am Senior Auror Fernsby, and this is Junior Auror Weasley. We are here to ask a few questions, take a few statements and possibly a few memories for our investigation."

"What are you investigating?" A Ravenclaw boy from the seventh year asked.

"I'm not at liberty to go into details. However, I can tell you that a student has been attacked."

The students erupted into gasps and whispers at the statement.

"Who?" Someone called

"What attacked them?" Someone else shouted.

"Is it dangerous?" Cried a third.

"Ladies and Gentlemen. Please!" McGonagall shot, bringing them all back to attention.

"Thank you, Professor." Fernsby nodded before continuing. "It was not a beast attack, and no there is nothing dangerous lurking about the grounds. That I can confirm." He assured them as he raised his hands to subdue them. "Now, I need the following people to wait in Professor Flitwick's classroom. From there you will be brought into the Professors office so that we can talk. The rest of you. I may need to ask you further questions. However, for now, you are free to go."

Neville looked around as everyone was poised, waiting for their names to be called. Neville watched with idle curiosity as he considered what to do with the rest of his day. Looking at Ginny and Luna, he considered going back to Hogsmeade to pick up some pepperup potions. He wondered whether he would be able to convince Pansy to make a break for it. At the thought of Pansy, he turned. She looked as white as a sheet and was trembling, as were most of the Slytherins in the crowd. He wished he could hold her and tell her everything was going to be alright.

"David Anson, Korsty Barnes, Ian Birdwhistle, Jasper Bloom," The Auror started to read. Neville looked to the students who had been called. Their already ill faces looked deathly as dread pushed them towards the door of Flitwick's classroom. McGonagall offered each a quiet word as she guided them into the room.

"Hermione Granger, Wayne Hopkins, Kora Kunkel, Mark Laker," He continued. All eyes pointed to Hermione as she looked around, her eyes wide and fearful. Blaise squeezed her shoulders as he let her go. Neville watched her go as McGonagall offered her a shoulder pat as she passed.

"Kira Lietmann, Neville Longbottom, Luna Lovegood. Nessie Ludanyi," Neville felt the floor open up under him as his stomach did a somersault. Blaise and Theo looked at him before his eyes caught Pansy's. He turned away and walked to the door as he let Luna go before him. He squeezed her shoulder. He wasn't sure whether it was to offer her support or to stop himself from falling.

He looked at Ron as they passed, he nodded and smiled a grim smile which offered no comfort as they stepped into the large classroom. The room was silent as they waited. Neville spotted Hermione and rushed forward as she stood.

"What's going on?" She asked. Neville shrugged and sat down beside her, pulling her into a one armed-hug.

"I have no idea," Neville admitted. They could hear more names being called out as they watched the doorway.

"Theodore Nott, Pansy Parkinson, Padma Patil, Quinzee Rogers" Neville straightened as Theo and Pansy stepped through, their eyes searching for them. Theo pulled them both towards Neville and sat down. Neville couldn't help but look at Pansy. She looked ghostly white and wide-eyed as her fingers gripped onto Theo's arm. He could only imagine how the sight of the Auror would have affected them.

Theo didn't seem to be holding up much better. His adam's apple bobbed nervously as he gripped Pansy's hand with equal fervour. Neville released Hermione's arm and offered Theo his hand. Theo looked at the provided palm, and after a moment's hesitation, took it and gripped it like a vice. Neville threw his other arm along the back of the seat behind him and gently stroked the edge of Pansy's arm. She shifted and gripped his hand tightly.

Just feeling her hand in his loosened the knot that was forming in his gut. He noticed some of the others look at him as it appeared that he was cuddling up to Theo, but he couldn't have cared less. He ignored the confused looks from the other, younger students, probably wondering why a Gryffindor would get so close with a Slytherin. Now that he had gotten to know them as people, he didn't even think about their house any more. It was unimportant after all that they had been through.

Finally Ginny and Blaise appeared at the door along with a few others. Hermione made a noise next to him, and Nevile made room for the wizard to squeeze between them.

The door closed as the Aurors and Professors stood at the head of the room.

"Thank you for waiting patiently while we gathered you all together," Fernsby announced. "I just want to stress that none of you is in trouble. All we need is information to help us with our investigation." His eyes seemed to land on Neville and Theo's hands as they sat together. "I know some of you are terrified of going to or returning to Azkaban. I just want to assure you. Unless you have broken the law, that won't be happening." He finished with a nod. Theo's grip seemed to lessen on his hand slightly, allowing the blood to return to his fingers. Pansy's grip; however, seemed to tighten at the mere mention of the prison.

"Now students, I will arrange for your homework to be brought down to you so that you will not be wasting this precious time," McGonagall added. Most people groaned, but Hermione looked relieved.

"Could I see Pansy Parkinson first, please?" Neville's heart stopped as her grip tightened. He gave it a comforting squeeze before she released him. She looked around, her wide, pale eyes seeking him out as she stood up. He watched as she built up her pureblood mask, going from scared to indifferent in seconds. He shoulders set back, and her head held high. No one would know the true turmoil roaring within in her. Only her eyes gave her away. Her eyes were slightly too wide. He tried to encourage her with a smile as she walked towards the Auror with all eyes on her. Ron's eyes didn't look friendly as they looked at her and then back to Neville before they left.

Neville felt sick as the nerves bounced around his gut like jumping jelly beans. More than once, Theo had to put his hand on his leg to stop it bouncing nervously, and within minutes it would start bobbing again. Daisy, Korsty, Quinzee and Nessie huddled together as they worked on their homework. Neville glanced back to his ancient Runes essay and tried to concentrate, but the words just fazed in and out of focus. His mind darted between the party and now unable to focus on anything.

It felt like an eternity before the door to the classroom opened again. Neville almost stood up as he expected Pansy to reappear. When Ron appeared, he felt both hopeful and disappointed.

"Neville, come on." He called, Neville stood and swallowed. It was his turn to be the main attraction as everyone looked up. He met his friend's gaze before walking towards Ron. The redhead held open the door for him and then closed it once they were both outside in the corridor.

"What are you bloody playing at?" Ron hissed as the door closed.

"What? What do you mean?" Neville asked as he reared back.

"Going out with Pansy?" Ron scowled at her name "She's a Slytherin! She's Malfoy's Best friend!"

"So?" Neville shrugged with a frown. "The war is over, Ron."

"I know the battle is over, but the war still rages out here in the real world. Do you know how many of the death eaters got away?" He asked and then snorted derisively. "I probably know what's going on better than you do right now!" Ron sighed "She's… She just can't be trusted, mate!" He shook his head.

"Why not?" Neville asked, squaring up to Ron. "What has she personally done that is so terrible?"

"Erm, I don't know? How about trying to hand Harry over to Voldemort?" Ron replied sarcastically.

"And do you know why she did that?" Neville retorted.

"No, what excuse did she give you?"

"Voldemort was holding her family hostage."

"Her family was working for Voldemort," Ron hissed back.

"Doesn't mean he wasn't going to kill them if she disobeyed, does it?" Neville said as he crossed his arms."

Ron opened and closed his mouth a few times as his arguments dried up. "But it's Pug-face! She was always so rotten to you in school."

"Don't call her that! And maybe once or twice way back in second year."

"I don't mean to come across harsh, but you need to watch your back!" Ron said as he shook his head in exasperation.

"I don't have to, Pansy already has it." Ron rubbed at his temples before speaking again. "I love her, Mate."

"Love? Shit! She's going to fuck you over a barrel with that!" Ron searched his face before speaking again "I just can't understand what's happened. You're all so cosy with the Slytherins now, what in Merlin's saggy ballsack happened to get you lot together?"

"I was being bullied and Pansy, Theo and Blaise were there for me."

"Bullied? By who?" Ron frowned.

"Hannah Abbott, Stephen Cornfoot and Oliver Rivers,"

Ron blinked at him and shook his head before starting to walk towards the office door, muttering curses under his breath.

"So what's going on? Who's been attacked?" He asked as his heart pounded in his chest "Is Pansy alright?"

Ron sighed heavily before he answered "She's fine, she's gone back to the common room. I hear the new tower is pretty swish?" Ron nodded. "As for the details of the case, you know I can't talk about it. I'll let Fernsby fill you in. But make sure you mention about the bullying. He'll want to know."

"So you can't tell me anything about what I'm walking into?"

"Only that a student has been attacked and that you are a witness."

"A witness? I didn't see anyone get attacked" He frowned in confusion.

"Just talk to Fernsby, he's got the authority to tell you more," Ron said as they reached the door to Flitwick's office. "You need to be completely honest, Nev! I mean it, tell him everything. He's already seen some memories of what happened, and it'll make things worse if you're not. Fernsby is firm but fair. Rub him up the wrong way, and he's a complete twat!"

Ron gripped the door handle and was about to turn it when Neville grabbed his shoulder.

"We need to catch up! Hows the job?"

"Yeah, It's good," He hesitated "There's a lot more to it than I expected. Harry's loving it, though."

"How is he?"

"Yeah, he's fine, diving headfirst into it, you know what he can be like. You still coming to the Burrow for Boxing day?" Neville smiled and nodded.

"Sounds great. We really should write more."

Ron rolled his eyes and nodded, "Or we could just meet at the brooms?"

"let me know when you're back from training, and we should" Neville agreed. Ron smirked before letting Neville into the office, shutting the door behind him.

"Neville Longbottom, is it?" The dark-haired Auror asked, sitting beside the desk, The quick notes quill scribbling away furiously before coming to an ominous stop. The room seemed to shrink in and definitely felt too small to hold such a large man. He smiled, his stubbled jaw pulling taught to highlight a scar around his throat. "I knew your parents,"


	45. Pensieve

Neville had never been in Flitwick's office before. It seemed strange to see such small furniture with such big chairs and desk, but he realised that Auror Fernsby had probably made them larger for their benefit.

"Neville Longbottom, is it?" The dark-haired Auror asked, "I knew your parents,"

Neville nodded as he sat in the chair the Auror motioned to. From close up, the scar looked ragged as it cut through the greying stubble and ruddy skin. He wondered what curse or weapon had caused it. "They were brilliant Aurors, your mother actually helped train me." He smiled, drawing back his gaze from the scar.

Neville smiled weakly back as he sat nervously on the chair. "You look a lot like her, You have your dads colouring though." He nodded as he stared at Neville.

Neville remained quiet as he waited for the Auror to get to the point. "I saw that you want to join the Aurors at the end of the school year. That's an interesting choice, wouldn't you say? After what happened to them," He asked conversationally.

Neville shook his head, "not really, sir." He replied.

"You could have joined over the summer, how come you returned to Hogwarts?"

"I wanted to finish my exams." He replied. The other wizard nodded as the 'Quick-Quotes' quill started to wave and write.

"Always a good choice, especially if you ever want to progress within the ministry. Blunt tools never get you very far." He nodded.

The silence hung awkwardly before the Auror spoke again.

"So, I guess you are wondering what's going on, and I bet your old mate, Weasley, told you all about it." He stated with another genial smile as he linked his fingers over his belly. Neville shook his head.

"No, sir," Neville replied, "He said that you would tell me,"

"Very good." The Auror leant forward, his clasped hands propped between his knees. "I'm going to be honest with you, and tell you what we know so far. And I hope that you will tell me exactly what happened so that we can tie all the ends together. Does that sound fair?"

"Yes, sir." Neville nodded.

"I will tell you everything once We've talked and you tell me your version of events. I don't want to colour or change any memories by the information I hold." Neville nodded. It made sense.

"So, what I would like to do first is go through your memories of the party last night, starting from your meal in the great hall."

Neville took a deep breath and told him everything that he could think of. He told him about Hannah and the Polyjuice, and about returning drunken to the dorms, he didn't go into as much detail from where Pansy helped him off the stairs. It was only the two of them, so he didn't think that needed to be gone into.

The Auror nodded as he listened. "That virtually matches the statements we've already taken."

"Oh, Weasley did say to tell you about me having been bullied, I don't know what relevance it has." Neville shrugged.

The older man looked at him and frowned. "You? Bullied? What on earth could people bully you for? You tower over most of the other students, You're almost as tall as Weasley,"

Neville shrugged "I'm shy and clumsy, I guess."

"I bet you're less shy than you used to be with that Parkinson girl hanging off your arm?"

Neville blushed fiercely as Fernsby smirked and winked. "She's very pretty." Neville nodded in agreement as his mind raced. Why was this relevant? "Shame about the family, though. How do they feel about you both being together?"

"They don't know, sir." He replied, "Are you going to tell them?"

"I don't think that will be necessary, I'm just trying to get a bit of background to the situation."

"What could my involvement with Miss Parkinson have to do with this investigation?" Neville asked.

The Auror took a deep breath and narrowed his eyes. "Would you be willing to give me your memory of last night?" He asked calmly as he disregarded Neville's question.

"I will give you some of it, but some of it is very private and I would rather not," Neville replied.

"And what if the part you are not willing to hand over is part of our investigation?"

"I can assure you, it won't be. Once I got back to the dorms I didn't leave until breakfast this morning unless you believe that it was me that attacked the student?" he frowned. "I'm not a suspect, am I?"

Fernsby sighed and tilted his head at Neville. "And can anyone else confirm that you were in the dorms?" He asked, but from the smirk on his face, Neville guessed that he knew the answer already.

"Yes, Miss Parkinson. We were together all night." Fernsby nodded with a knowing smile.

"Miss Parkinson confirmed that too. However, she took a bit more persuasion to divulge the information."

"Her parents don't approve of us. Also, they don't want her… reputation tarnished."

"Oh… her reputation." Fernsby repeated with a smirk. "I assume then that her reputation is no longer a problem if you two spent the night together?" He asked, making Neville's cheeks blaze again.

"Her reputation is just as intact as before, sir."

"Very well, If you are willing, I will take that memory up until you enter the dorms. If that is agreeable?"

Neville nodded as he dug out his wand from his pocket. He placed it against his temple and drew out the memory like plucking at a single strand of spaghetti. Fernsby grabbed one of the waiting vials and held it open to him. Neville tapped the glittering strand into the glass tube before pulling his wand back. He could still recall all the details of that night, they just seemed slightly dimmer in his memory, which in light of what had taken place, he didn't mind.

"Would you mind waiting while I view this?"

"Then will you tell me what is going on?" Fernsby thought for a moment and then nodded.

He watched as the Auror poured in his memory into a pensieve which lay behind him hidden. He had never seen anyone actually use one before and was interested in what it was like. The Auror lowered his head about to plunge it into the smoky liquid when he paused. He straightened and looked at Neville.

"If you would be so kind as to join me, it's so much more helpful when you have someone be able to assist you in the thoughts and meanings behind things." Neville sat there for a moment as he took in the request. He would have to see every painful moment of that argument all over again. But knowing it was Hannah would take at least some of the sting out of it. He nodded and stood as Fernsby moved to give him room. "You ever used one of these before?" He asked.

Neville shook his head. "When you step in, there will be a falling sensation, and then we'll be in your memory. The only one you'll be able to interact with is me, understand?" He nodded his head again as he watched the Auror lower his head. He copied plunging his face into the cool, airy liquid. He started to fall and gripping the desk, tried to steady himself.

He landed, the floor rocked slightly as though he'd caught the aftershock of an earthquake. He looked around as he caught the eighth years walking in.

"Some great costumes!" Fernsby muttered from his shoulder. He glanced at the older Auror and nodded.

"Are you muggle-born?" Neville asked, wondering whether he knew most of the characters behind the costumes.

"Yeah, I get to the cinema every now and then."

"The what?" Neville asked, turning to him.

"Cinema, it's where you can go and watch the muggle films some of these costumes are from. You can go on a date or with friends." Neville nodded with interest before turning around.

"So, talk me through who we have here," He asked as they leant against the wall. Watching the goings-on in the hall, he was free to look around. The looks of delight and joy of the little first year's faces made him smile. The costumes really were great.

"I'm Gomez Addams, Mandy Brocklehurst is the unicorn, Terry Boot is the zombie,"

"Cool costume," Fernsby smirked with appreciation as the students groaned all over again.

"Susan Bones is the skeleton. The guy in the denim shorts and suit jacket is Stephen Cornfoot, The guy next to him in the wide, orange trousers and baggy coat is Oliver Rivers." He pointed.

"What are they supposed to be?" He asked with a smirk.

"Muggles, apparently." Neville snickered.

Fernsby snorted and shook his head before Neville continued to go through the people he could name and the costumes they were in.

"So did she ever tell you what the scales were all about? Lovegood was it?" He asked as everyone started to leave the hall.

"She was giving out divine inspiration and magical empowerment." Neville smiled.

"That's… nice." The Auror replied, his face crumpled in confusion.

"Luna's eccentric," Neville explained as they followed him to the common room.

"So these two," He motioned to Cornfoot and Rivers. "These the two that have been bullying you?"

"Yeah, since Hannah and I split up about two months ago," Neville explained as he pushed his hands into his trouser pockets.

The students they passed all had eyes for the people in the costumes. It was nice to be invisible this time around.

"And why do you think that was?" He asked.

"Hannah went a bit crazy. She started getting really possessive and controlling. She tried to get me to leave all my old friends behind saying they were a bad influence, including Ron and Harry."

"I don't think anyone could really call the chosen one a bad influence." Fernsby laughed.

"She dumped me. Within a couple of days, they'd started picking on me. Calling me names and spreading rumours at first, and then they tampered with my shampoo, which is why my hair is the colour it is."

"I just thought it was part of your costume," Fernsby added.

"No, it was a prank. It's been like this for over a month now."

"Is that why Miss Parkinson has the same colour?"

"Yes, but not for the reason you think. I got tricked, and she decided to help me and trick them back, pretending we showered together. Baise was there when she dyed it."

"Very cunning, then again, Weasley tells me she was in Slytherin."

"Houses don't really mean anything to me any more. I've had more grief from former Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws this term than I ever had from Slytherin school mates."

"I see your point." He nodded as they stood at the bottom of the stairs for a moment. "What's down there?" He asked, pointing down the corridor.

"Erm, there's a little sitting area, and then it leads you outside and towards the main courtyard. You can also get to the greenhouses from here if you go left."

Fernsby nodded as they started to climb the steps. He seemed thoughtful for a moment. "So what else did they do to you?"

Neville sucked in a breath as he tried to think of everything. "They shredded all of my clothes, broke my cheekbone by tripping me in the shower. Trip jinxes in the corridors. Hannah accused Pansy of putting me under the imperious curse and then hit me with a modified stupefy charms, and I smashed my head against the fireplace. But that curse was meant for Pansy. I think there might be more, but they're the things that stand out the most."

Fernsby whistled "Wow, they really don't like you do they?" Neville shook his head as they pushed through the common room door. The place looked as horrifying as he remembered.


	46. Truth And Lies

Neville let Fernsby go first as they all split off into the room. It was strange seeing himself as another person as he ignored Theo's speech about the punch. The others had already settled themselves in as Hermione and Blaise danced by the sofa, whilst Ginny and Luna chatted to some of the other eighth years.

Padma Patil and Isobel Mcdougal were deep in conversation as they sat on the stairs. They tucked their matching plaid skirts under them as they continued to talk. He wasn't sure who they were supposed to be so turned to find someone else.

He caught sight of Fernsby snooping around as he took in the whole room. The Auror strolled back, his eyes everywhere as he nodded.

"That Nott kid did a great job on the party!" Fernsby said, his tone sounding impressed. "However, visibility is a bit lacking with the clouds and blood, isn't it?" He asked. Neville nodded as he heard Theo warning people about the bloodstains only being temporary.

"So, whereabouts are you right now?" Fernsby asked. Neville pointed to where he and Theo were talking about the ghost. Fernsby found him before eyes skimmed the rest of the room. "Right, tell me who's who from here." He pointed out the two girls on the stairs. Fernsby chuckled after seeing the costumes. "Clueless, nice choice."

Neville shrugged. Fernsby caught the movement and shook his head and smirked.

"You need to try some muggle stuff! They don't have magic, but what they've been able to accomplish without it will amaze you. If you get the chance, take Miss Parkinson to a cinema in muggle London and go and watch 'Ever After'. It's only just been released, it's based loosely on Cinderella. You'll love it!" He assured him.

"Ok, I'll see what we can do." Neville agreed.

"Once you've seen a film on the big screen, you'll be hooked!" He smiled before turning back to the memory. "But we're getting off-topic. Who else is here?"

Neville pointed out a few other people. Cornfoot and Rivers were over behind the stairway, Terry, Wayne, Roger were over in the study nook, lounging on the tables as they laughed and drank. The Auror laughed again as he took in their costumes.

"Your year group are a lot more interesting than mine was!" Fernsby nodded. Neville didn't answer. He gazed around and watched as his past self headed towards the kitchen. Fernsby walked over towards the stairway, asking questions as he went. Neville tried to answer where he could. He didn't recognise most of the sixth years that had crept in so he couldn't put names to faces for the Auror. But it wasn't just about people the wizard wanted to know about. It was about the layout of the tower, and about window aspects and the views to below. He asked about passwords and curfews for the common room door to which there wasn't one, only the age line.

"So anyone can leave and enter at any point?" He asked. Neville nodded. "What about the dorms?"

"The boy's has a password. However, I think the stairs are charmed, so the steps leading to the girl's dorm flatten and turn into a slide." Neville shrugged "so I'm not sure they have a password."

"Interesting," Fernsby muttered before looking around again. "I'll ask one of the girls later," He nodded as he leant against the wall between the study nook and where Cornfoot and Rivers sat.

He noticed when the seventh year girls appeared. They walked past him as they waved to his past-self, who sat in the kitchen.

"Daisy! He's alone, and I heard he broke up with the Slytherin. You should try your luck again." Nessie insisted as she tried to walk in her glittery green fishtail, tugging at the waistband.

"I can't! It was embarrassing enough before when Parkinson came over and shooed me away. I was mortified." Daisy frowned insecurely. The frown looked strange on the doll face makeup she had applied.

"They broke up. As in seriously split! I heard they haven't spoken a word since last week. She refuses to even look at him." Korsty said as she checked her sleeked back hair. "Dais! You need to jump on that quickly before someone else does! The things I've heard…" Korsty muttered with a meaningful glance as she fanned herself meaningfully.

"Korsty!" Quinzee chided from underneath the bedsheet. He had been right when he had guessed her identity the night before.

"What? All I'm saying is that the man is fit with apparently a lot going on! If you don't go for it, someone else will… and I'm not promising that it won't be me!" She muttered half under her breath as she pulled her cape around herself dramatically. "Cause I van't to suck his blood." She growled in a mock Transylvanian accent.

"You wouldn't! Korsty! You know I've liked him for ages! You keep your fangs out of him!" Daisy whined as she pulled at the other girl's arm.

"Then get to it!" She smirked before throwing herself down onto the seats next to Neville's right.

Neville shook himself as he tore his eyes away from the girls. Did they really think like that about him?

"Well, that was fun to watch," The Auror chuckled. "Nice to know what people really think about you, eh?" Neville shook his head and swallowed. He was sure that he preferred not knowing. Girls were scary. Fernsby had already moved on as Neville glanced back at him. The Aurors eyes were now focused on something else.

"So, What can you tell me about them?" Fernsby asked, nodding to the bullies. Neville leant against the wall and eyed them as they stood laughing. He knew from their glances they were laughing at him, sat alone in the kitchen getting drunker and drunker.

"Who? Cornfoot and Rivers?"

The Auror nodded as he scratched his stubble.

"Erm…" He paused as he looked at them in their ridiculous costumes. "They were both in Ravenclaw and are both from pureblood families. Stephen is the main bully and Rivers follows him around like a sheep."

Fernsby nodded.

"Did Pansy tell you that they attacked her a few weeks ago?"

"No, she didn't."

"Stephen tried to flirt with her, and when she turned him down, he attacked her."

"What did he do?" He asked

Neville thought for a moment. "I know he slapped her arse, but then I think he tried to hex her, but she got there first. She hit him with a langlock jinx and a finger-loss curse."

The Auror fought to school his features, but Neville could see he was trying not to laugh. "I like your Miss Parkinson more and more," He confirmed before pushing his hair back. "And, erm…" He cleared his throat. "Where was Rivers when this happened?" "He was elsewhere, but he caught up to Pansy when she was on the way to lunch. He yanked her up by her ankle and made her flash her underwear to the whole school and called her a whore, amongst other things." Neville shuddered at the image. "She knocked him back, and I hit him with a tentacle head jinx."

"Remind me not to mess with the two of you." He nodded. There was a pause before the Auror spoke again. "And do you know if that was the only run in she's had with them?"

Neville considered it for a moment and shook his head. "If anything else has happened, she's not mentioned it, so I don't think so. But I know that last weekend while I was on my own in Hogsmeade they hinted that they were going to try it on with her at the party. Rivers called it aggressive cuddling regardless of whether she was drunk or not."

"That's interesting." The auror muttered as they watched the two purebloods head for Neville. "Let's get closer." He muttered as he pushed off from the wall. Neville followed the wizard toward the kitchen.

It felt strange watching himself from across the room. His eyes seemed distant and sad, and even though he looked oddly smart in his costume, he had an overwhelmingly pathetic air about him.

"Hey, Shortcock. Where have you hidden her? I thought she was back on the market?" Cornfoot said again as they watched on. Neville could tell that both the two Ravenclaws seemed to have been drinking quite a lot too.

"Shut up!" Neville wrinkled his nose up at the pitiable reply.

"So witty! Merlin knows why you weren't put into Ravenclaw!" Cornfoot replied again. Neville really wanted to punch him.

Fernsby walked around the bullies and watched them as if assessing them or taking their measurements. Neville couldn't tell whether he was listening to the conversation or not until he looked up to the door when Rivers spoke again.

"Steve? She's here!" Rivers muttered.

Fernsby and Neville glanced at the woman in the doorway, and Neville frowned. Now that he knew that it wasn't Pansy, she looked odd. The way she stood and held herself wasn't right. The real Pansy always seemed so regal and graceful, not at all like the woman in the Poison Ivy costume.

"You keep your hands off her, Cornfoot! And you, Rivers! Touch her, and I will end you both." In Neville's mind, when he had originally said that, it had felt so threatening. However now it just sounded flat and hollow.

"Interesting," Fernsby muttered as he watched the men disappear.

"What's interesting?" Neville asked.

"I'll tell you when we're done. This is proving to be a very useful exercise."

Neville turned to watch Hannah step up to his past self, and he shook his head. He had to refer to her as Hannah because he just couldn't see Pansy anymore even though she wore the Slytherin's likeness.

"I just don't know what she had to gain from doing this," He shrugged. "Unless she wanted to mess with my head even more," Neville pondered as he watched her.

"In my professional experience, I would suggest she's jealous of what you and Miss Parkinson have. I mean, look at that." Fernsby replied as he pointed to his counterpart's face as it gazed at her. It was tragic and embarrassing. Neville looked but couldn't see anything else.

"What?"

"You don't see it? That look there? That's a look of a man in love. I would put all the money in my vault that she just wanted you to look at her like that just once."

"But I'm not looking at her, I'm looking at Pansy."

"It's amazing what people see and hear when they're in love. They do strange things. Stupid, crazy and dangerous things. Believe me, I've seen it all!" He sighed. "It's almost as dangerous as the imperious curse, love."

Neville shrugged, he could believe it. He watched as she returned with the drinks and lounged on his lap. Sober, he could see and hear that everything was wrong. She called him 'Nev' for one thing. Pansy always used his full name, or last name when she was teasing. She could also handle her alcohol, something which Hannah obviously couldn't.

"Cool! Are they eyeballs?" Fernsby asked, pointing at the kitchen sink.

"Yeah, I think they were one of Theo's decorations. I keep meaning to ask him about it."

Neville watched as they kissed and his insides squirmed uncomfortably. He could see from the outside just how uncomfortable and awkward it looked. He cringed when Hannah hit him.

"What did you do?" Fernsby asked, a similar wince on his face.

"I bit her lip."

"Ah," he said with a smirk.

"Be gentle with me. I'm delicate." Hannah said. Neville rolled his eyes and shook his head as he asked himself how he could have missed the signs.

"I don't understand how I missed so many hints. I can see almost everything I missed, and it's so blatantly obvious. Pansy would never call herself delicate. She thinks it's a weakness."

"As I said, people in love do stupid things. Miss Parkinson sounds quite progressive though. Especially for a pureblood from such a traditional family," Fernsby hinted. Neville smiled and nodded.

"She is, but she tries to follow the important rules." The Auror laughed.

"You mean the ones she likes?" He asked with a chuckle. Neville nodded. The full cup of punch falling off the table drew him back to the scene in front of them.

"Oh, Nev! You're so clumsy," She said as she sat back in his seat. She smiled, but it seemed strained. Neville could almost see her jaw grinding together in barely-hidden frustration.

He looked away. He thought it would hurt less knowing that it was Hannah Polyjuiced as Pansy but watching the words come out of her mouth still stung. He hoped never to see such looks pointed at him from his Pansy. He heard his past self leave the room and turned to watch as Hannah rolled her stolen grey eyes. He felt a sudden swell of anger at her audacity. He couldn't believe that she could do this. Lie and manipulate him so badly.

"She seems delightful," The Auror noted with pursed lips. Neville didn't trust his voice enough to answer when Theo entered the room, helping his past self stand.

"And this is Theodore Nott?" Fernsby asked. Neville nodded. "Again, he's awfully helpful for a Slytherin. You were in Gryffindor, weren't you?"

Neville nodded again. "As I said before, our former houses don't really mean anything any more. Theo, Blaise Zabini and of course Pansy have been really good friends to me this year." He paused as he considered what he was going to say next. "I probably would have left Hogwarts already if they weren't here for me. Hermione takes so many classes that I barely get to see her. Also, with Ginny and Luna being in seventh year, they can't hang around up here. It's been lonely."

"I can imagine, especially when there is no escape." The Auror agreed. Neville nodded.

"So, what's going on here?" Fernsby pointed out at Theo and Hannah, arguing.

"He's trying to understand why she isn't wearing the dress he helped her choose. And by the sounds of it, she's just trying to fob him off," He said. Again, now that he was sober, he could hear her struggling to fight off Theo's insistent questions. He heard the Auror cough and raise his eyebrows when Hannah spoke again.

"Just because you're a raving homo, doesn't mean you have a better dress sense all the time. Stop your shrieking."

Fernsby shook his head and laughed. "There's no way she'll be getting a job at the ministry any time soon, The Minister is gay." He chuckled. Neville glanced at him and smiled as Theo stormed out. "So what's going on now?"

Neville watched as Hannah tried to swish up to his past self. He hadn't noticed at the time that her ankle almost gave way showing just how unsteady and uncomfortable she was in the heels. Again so unlike Pansy.

"I think she was trying to see whether I cheated on her with Pansy when we were together. She's also trying to get me to sleep with her." Neville replied. His voice felt oddly empty as his mind considered what would have happened had he given in. He rubbed his face and neck as he tried to erase the sensation of her lips on his. He felt filthy and violated.

"Nev, I'm offering you all this, everything you see and everything you don't. What are you waiting for?"

"Did she just quote from the film?" The older Auror asked with a snort and a shake of his head. Neville looked at him. Something about his mannerisms and his attitude made him think he was younger than he appeared. He had thought of the man as being in his fifties, but now he wondered whether they were closer in age, after all, his late thirties, maybe.

He listened to Hannah, trying to convince him to have sex and saw the Auror's eyes widen.

"You have got the will power of a saint!" He remarked. Neville shrugged with indifference.

"I promised them that I wouldn't."

"Them?" Fernsby asked.

"Pansy, Theo and Blaise. It's the one rule that she actually follows, keeping her… reputation intact." The Auror nodded in understanding.

"Your patience and restraint is impressive, I'm not sure how I would've reacted if she said those things to me."

He listened as she accused him of being impotent, then gay and then finally useless in bed.

"Hannah wrote a letter?" Fernsby asked, raising his eyebrows. Neville shivered as a chill ran down his spine. He grit his teeth as the anger bubbled under the surface.

"Yes, She wrote to the Parkinsons telling them everything she thought was going on, and then they came back and insisted Pansy have…" Neville fought with the words. "To be checked to see if she was still unbroken." He frowned at the phrasing. But he saw the Auror's eyes widen and then grimace. Neville assumed that Fernsby had a better idea than him what that involved and felt the anger in his gut again.

"So Pansy… the real Pansy, had to be tested by Madam Pomfrey to check she hadn't been taking part in intercourse?" Neville nodded.

"That's…despicable!" Fernsby shook his head in disgust. Neville nodded. His mind darted between the thoughts of Pansy being tested and what was playing out before him. His heart suddenly felt very heavy and overloaded. He moved to leave when he remembered what happened next. "Where are you going?"

"I know what's coming, and I just can't watch it again. I'll be just outside." The Auror looked at him for a moment before nodding and letting him go.

Neville stepped out into the noise of the party and took a deep breath. The words she'd used bounced around her head as he tried to concentrate on anything else. Everyone seemed to be pretty drunk. Cornfoot and Rivers were by the door, slouching on the floor as they laughed and drank. Hermione and Blaise didn't seem to realise that there were other people in the room as they worked each other up.

He turned away quickly. He did not need to see that. Ginny and Luna, as well as a few others, were dancing in the centre of the room. The music, which seemed to pour out of the stonework, made the already strange scenery even more unsettling. He found Theo and Anthony shoved up against the wall as they kissed, and he smiled. His ghostly outfit looking strange against Anthony's bright yellow suit, a green mask hanging loosely in his hand. At least he had finally managed to get it on with the other guy.

He heard her heels clacking on the kitchen floor before he saw her just as Fernsby came and stood next to him.

"She is something else." The Auror announced with a shake of his head. His eyes seemed wider than they should have been. Neville wondered whether the comments about his parents had affected him as much as himself.

"Yep," He nodded. As they both watched her stomp off. It was almost comical watching her walk in those shoes. He caught the seventh year Hufflepuffs including Daisy smirk when she almost tripped. He had to smirk himself, knowing that it wasn't Pansy. "So, what more did you need to see?"

"Not much more," The wizard said, his eyes glued to the common room door. Neville turned as he watched Hannah swing it open angrily before storming out. He felt a dawning understanding as the door slowly closed, hiding her from view.

"Is she.." Neville started, but Fernsby held up a hand, his eyes intent on the entrance. Neville watched too as he began to feel sick. He watched as Cornfoot and Rivers nudged each other and stand. They checked behind them as they crept out and disappeared from the party.


	47. Vindicated

Neville felt the world around him dissolve as Fernsby pulled him up and out of the pensieve. He had almost forgotten that he was bent over a bowl. However, now that he was back in the real world, his muscles reminded him.

Fernsby patted him on the arm before turning and sitting back in his chair. Neville fell into his as he tried to come to terms with what he had just seen. He opened his mouth to ask some questions when Fernsby held up a finger. He scribbled a few notes of his own on the clipboard, using the previously-frantic QuickQuotes quill.

The sight of the two men creeping out the common room after Pansy, kept repeating over again in his head. He shuddered and crossed his arms across his chest as if trying to keep out the chill. The real Pansy could have been attacked had she been at the party. He shivered again and realised he was trembling.

"Weasley?" Fernsby called. The door opened as Ron stepped in. His bright eyes went straight to Neville as if assessing the damage.

"Yes, sir?"

"Can you arrange for Mr Longbottom here to get a cup of tea, he's received a bit of a shock," Fernsby muttered without looking up from his notes.

Ron frowned as he looked at Neville.

"You are looking rather peaky. You alright, mate? Or do you need me to get Madam Pomfrey?"

Neville shook his head, unable to speak.

"A cuppa should be fine, he'll be right as rain once he's got over the shock of it all," Fernsby replied.

Ron nodded, still frowning as he left the room, shutting the door behind him.

"So, regardless of you telling Hannah that "Cornfoot's up for a fuck" you had no idea?" He asked slowly as he looked up from his notes. Neville swallowed with dread at the choice of words he had used before shaking his head fervently.

"No! What happened? Is Hannah alright?"

"As I promised, I will tell you everything that we know to be true. When Hannah left the party, she went for a walkout on the grass where she was met by Stephen Cornfoot and Oliver Rivers. They managed to disarm her, and then each proceeded to have intercourse with her before leaving her. They then presumably rejoined the party and no one was any the wiser." Neville covered his mouth. He knew that the bullies were bastards, but he didn't realise that they would stoop so low as to rape. "Now, the reason we needed your's and your school mates testimonies is that the Polyjuice aspect confuses things somewhat."

Fernsby sat back after putting the notes back onto the table. "Because they intended to rape, not Miss Abbott, but Miss Parkinson, they deny that they raped Miss Abbott at all." Fernsby took a deep breath and leant forward, clenching his hands between his knees again. "And, as she was raped, Miss Abbott has filed a report pointing the finger directly at them… and also you." The silence filled the air as his heart stopped beating. "She says that you planned it."

Ice filled the spaces between every cell in his body as the words sank in. She was blaming this on him. He leant forward and closed his eyes as he tried to will the tears away. He could see any future he had ahead of him crumble as he wasted away in a cell somewhere in Azkaban.

The door opened, and Ron stepped in with a cup of tea. Neville almost jumped out of his seat as he stared at the redhead. He held out the mug before thinking better of it and set it on a nearby table.

"Thank you, Weasley," Fernsby said, and Ron obviously knew he was being dismissed. He stepped out again and shut the door, but not before giving Neville another worried look.

"I didn't plan it. Honestly. I would never!" Neville started to babble. He could feel his heart beginning to race as a panic attack started to edge closer. He closed his eyes and tried to breathe. This wasn't happening, It couldn't be happening.

"Neville, can I call you Neville?" Fernsby said as he touched his arm. "I know you didn't plan it."

Neville swallowed and blinked, his heart booming in between his ears.

"You… you know?" He stuttered as he tried to calm down. He sagged in his chair and sucked in the air as he pushed his hair away from his face.

"Yes, I know. Within seconds of you sitting in this room with me, I knew that you hadn't planned anything." Fernsby smiled, and it was kind. He stood and grabbed the mug of tea off the table behind him.

"Thank Merlin!" He sighed as he took a deep breath, letting it filter out between his lips, slowly.

"And even if I was in any doubt, After seeing what I saw at the party, my mind would still be made up."

"So, is she alright?"

"She just tried to pin you with a rape charge," The Auror frowned.

"She needs to go to see a mind healer. But I still care that she's alright."

"She's distressed, obviously, but she's alright. She managed to get to the hospital wing and raise the alarm not long after the crime occurred. It helped that she was sober when it happened." Neville closed his eyes again and shook his head.

"It's just awful! What's going to happen to Cornfoot and Rivers?" He asked, his breathing had slowed, but his heart still boomed.

"They're not going to be a problem for you any more, that's for certain." Fernsby nodded "I still need to complete my investigation and see whether anyone can add any more information. But, to be honest, I think your memory was a pretty full account. If you wouldn't mind having a read through these notes and signing them if they are correct. We will probably use your memory as evidence when it goes before the Wizengamot."

Neville sighed as he took the clipboard from the Auror and read through the notes. They were pretty accurate and extensive and took into account everything that had been said whilst they had been under the pensieve's power. It all seemed correct, so he signed and handed it back. Fernsby gave him a slightly cooler cup of tea.

"Drink this, and then you're free to go." Fernsby smiled. "There is one thing I would like to bring to your attention, though." Neville raised his eyebrows after taking a swig of the tea. He grimaced at the sweetness. The tea was like syrup.

"What?" He asked through his grimace. Fernsby chuckled.

"The sugar helps give you the energy to combat the shock." He shrugged. Neville nodded before putting the cup back down. Shock or no, there was no way he could drink tea so sweet.

"What I wanted to tell you was about your mother and father." Neville stilled at the Auror's words.

"My parents? What about them?"

"Well, Miss Abbotts told you that your mother couldn't love you. That wasn't true, obviously. But I wanted to tell you some things. When your parents found out they were expecting you, your father brought in cigars and a crate of butterbeer to the office." He chuckled as he continued "You couldn't see your mom's desk for parenting books and baby catalogues. They were virtually hysterical at the thought of having you. They had been trying for so long. Alice had almost come to the point of thinking it wouldn't happen. Too many curses can cause irreversible damage." Fernsby shook his head. "Alice brought you around the office not long after you were born" The Auror smiled as he stared off into the distance. "You were tiny, but you had such a grip. You held my finger for half an hour, and you refused to let go." I had to wait until you fell asleep before I could pry my finger free."

Neville sat, slack-jawed and feeling emotional as he listened to the stories of his parents. He swallowed the lump in his throat. "They were so proud of you. They glowed when they talked about you. You were very much loved."

"I know they love me." Neville smiled. "But thank you, it's nice to hear about them from other people besides Gran,"

"Ah yes, Augusta." He laughed "How is the old battleaxe?"

Neville had to smile. He nodded. "She's alright, getting on, but she's good."

"Right, I had better carry on with the interviews. It was a pleasure to meet you again, Mr Longbottom, and I look forward to seeing you for basic training in the summer."

Fernsby stood up and offered his hand. Neville took it and shook it. "Still got the grip I see," He smirked.

"Thank you, sir." Neville nodded as he left the room, shutting the door behind him.

He felt the urge to sink to the floor, but he didn't give in.

"Are you alright?" Ron asked as he patted him on the shoulder. Neville let out a huff as he pushed his hair away from his face.

"I'm not sure."

"You don't look good. Go and chill out in the common room. If I have any time after interviews, I'll see if I can come visit." Neville nodded. "If not, we'll still have to try the brooms soon!"

Neville nodded again and tried to smile. "Go on, you look like shit!" Ron smirked before he opened the door to Flitwick's office again.

Neville almost ran back to the common room only to find it empty. He almost turned around again when he heard a noise. He looked back and found Pansy looking around one of the armchairs.

All the thoughts left him as he rushed towards her.

"Neville?" She asked, confused as she stood, placing her book down on the table. "Are you alright? Whats happened?" She asked.

He gripped her and pulled her in tight, gripping her as though life depended on it. The thought that she could have been hurt by Cornfoot and Rivers almost made the panic attack start up again. He held her as he stroked her hair.

"Neville?" She whispered again.

"I'm sorry." He muttered into her hair "I just need to hold you for a moment."

"Alright," She said as she held him back.

"I love you so much," He whispered again.

"I love you too." She whispered back. She pulled away slightly. "You're worrying me, Neville. What's going on?"

"I just got out of my interrogation."

"What?" She asked, "But mine finished ages ago." He nodded as he pulled her close again. "Neville, let go." She said quietly. He reluctantly released her. The ache to hold her still made his skin itch uncomfortably.

She smiled and held out her hand. He took it without a second thought. "Come on, let's go somewhere more comfortable and private." She winked and pulled him towards the stairs.

He said the password and Sir Patrick's frame swung open. She pulled him inside and straight to his bed before pulling the curtains closed.

"Now, spill it, Longbottom!" She smirked as she cuddled up to him. He pulled her close, smelling her scent and feeling her warmth.

"I'm just so glad that you're safe!" He whispered as he held her tightly.

"Safe? What are you talking about? Is this the whole attack thing?" Neville nodded into her hair. "Did you find out what happened?"

He nodded again and shut his eyes.

"Well? The Auror wouldn't tell me anything." Neville wasn't sure he could say it. He took a deep breath and pulled away from Pansy and looked into her wide, silver eyes.

"You know I told you what Cornfoot and Rivers threatened to do to you?" She nodded slowly. "They thought they had." Neville finished. Pansy looked at him for a moment before her brain caught up. Her eyes widened as her hand shot to her mouth.

"Hannah?" Neville nodded.

"And she told the Aurors that I planned it with Cornfoot and Rivers." Neville sighed.

Pansy froze as her eyes grew cold.

"Sorry?" She asked, and her voice was just as cold. "She did what?"

"She told the Aurors about the attack, and they know it was them, but she told them that I had planned for it to happen."

Her face drained of colour as she pulled him close.

"They don't think you had anything to do with it, do they?" She sat up her eyes wide as she looked down at him. Her coldness had been replaced by panic.

Neville shook his head as he pulled her back down to him. "No, I'm fine. Don't worry. They know that she made that part up."

"How?" She asked as she propped herself up on her elbow to look at him.

"They took my memory of last night and watched it in a pensieve." He felt her stiffen and smiled. "Don't worry, they didn't see anything except what happened downstairs. I made sure of it," She sighed with relief as she relaxed into him. "Well, that's something." Pansy paused. "Are you alright?"

He shook his head and rubbed at his face. "It's been a very testing day so far." He muttered as he tried to hold it together.

Pansy didn't say anything as she waited for him to finish. "It was hard to see it all again." She kissed his cheek before resting her head against his.

"It wasn't me, Darling," She soothed as his mind raced.

"I know, but it could have been you." He said, rolling over to face her. He gazed into her brilliant silver eyes. "I'd never forgive myself if anything happened to you."

"Nothing's happening to me, I'm safe in your arms." She whispered as she kissed him.

He kissed her back as he held her tenderly as if she were about to break. "Did the Auror say anything else?" She asked as she slowly pulled away.

"He said that Cornfoot and Rivers aren't a problem anymore. They'll be going in front of the Wizengamot and then sentenced."

Pansy nodded, kissing his cheek again. "At least they won't be here any more to bully you or be a threat to me." She said calmly.

"True, I wonder what will happen with Hannah," Neville replied

"A stint in St Mungo's at the very least. I almost felt sorry for the vindictive bitch!"

Neville looked at her, shocked at the venom behind her words. Pansy rolled her eyes "No self-respecting woman goes around accusing innocent people of rape. It undermines the whole thing, and it certainly eradicates any sympathy I feel for her. " She stroked his hair, pulling it through her fingers. "For everything, she's put you through, I almost hope she gets to in Azkaban too!" Neville watched as her gaze turned hard and cold again.

Neville sighed and closed his eyes as his heart continued to thunder in her chest. The rush of emotions still floated so close to the surface.

"Do you think we can just spend the day hiding in here together without getting caught?" Neville asked.

Pansy smirked as she thought about it. "I'm sure its something we can arrange." She stretched like a cat as she draped herself over him languidly. He sighed as his heart started to calm. He thought guiltily that maybe, just maybe, he might get a chance to enjoy the rest of the year without the fear of being hurt.


	48. The Daily Saga

He moaned and gasped into the darkness as heat surrounded his throbbing cock. He bit his lip when a tongue swirled around the head, causing his heart and breath to speed up as the pleasure began to build. He bucked against the bed as the tight, hot sheath rose and fell around him. The mouth sucked and licked, causing his balls to tighten as the growing pressure spread through him.

Thoughts of dark lipstick smudges smeared up his length spurred him on as he tried to gain more friction. The lips tightened as the tongue swirled around his head again. His hands flew out, looking for something to grip onto as the mouth sucked and continued to tease him into insanity.

His eyes widened in panic as he felt his balls tighten at the first sign of orgasm. He was going to mess his boxers again. He looked down to find Pansy smirking up at him. Her pale gaze finished him off as the rolling waves of pleasure hit him. He cried out again as his hands curled into the bedclothes. It had been real. Knowing that seemed to intensify the waves. He came in a moment of blinding pleasure as he held onto the bedclothes, her mouth still working him.

Slowly as he returned from the brink, she smiled and wiped her mouth before falling down beside him. She sighed in contentment as she stroked his chest.

"Did someone enjoy that?" she whispered into the dark. He nodded eagerly as his breath returned to normal.

"I thought I was dreaming again." He admitted before a blush filled his cheek at his admission.

"Oh, so you've dreamt about this before?" She smirked. He rubbed his face in embarrassment and tiredness as he tried to wake up.

"I've dreamt of you a lot," He smiled as he rolled over to pull her to him.

"So have I," she admitted huskily.

"Really?" He asked, pulling back to look at her. She nodded with a grin before kissing his cheek.

"And… do you…" He didn't know how to say it as his blush darkened. He was happy for the cover of darkness to disguise it. She grinned, flashing her bright white, perfect teeth at him as she winked.

"I always enjoy them if that's what you mean?" She asked cheekily.

"Merlin!" he swore as he brushed the hair out of her face.

"What?" She asked, raising her eyebrow.

"You are so hot!" He said as he looked at her. She was in her pyjama's, the ones he'd first seen down in the common room. Thin dark straps which crisscrossed across her skin. Taut lace triangles of material which clung to her small breasts. Even the dim light couldn't hide the dark circles of her nipples. He cast his eyes further down and was met by the sight of tight lace shorts which clung to every curve. He groaned with desire before meeting her eyes again. She still looked slightly too thin as her skin hugged her ribs a little too tightly.

"I'm passable." She rolled her eyes.

"Sweetheart, as I've already confessed, you are my dream woman. You are perfect."

"ok, I'm perfect." She smirked and shrugged.

"Yeah! You, my darling, are the perfect angler."

"Excuse me?" She laughed. As she pulled back.

"Fishing for compliments. You know you're stunning!"

"It's nice to hear it every now and then," She rolled her eyes.

"Oh, so now I don't tell you enough?" Neville asked with a chuckle.

"Shush! You're going to wake the rest of the dorm!" She giggled back.

"Speaking of which, what are you doing here?"

"I thought it was pretty obvious…" She grinned.

"It was, it's just unexpected. I thought we were going to be subtle." Neville replied. Pansy rolled over and wiggled her bottom into his lap as she made sure she was pressed up against him. He wrapped his arms around her, cocooning her.

"I don't see that there's much of a need any more. Hannah isn't going to be coming back. For them, the best-case scenario is that all three only get expelled. So Hannah can't send her little poisoned-quill notes any more, and the only other two…" she shrugged as his grip tightened. "I just don't see that there's a need any more."

"What about any of the other Slytherin's, or any of the Purebloods for that matter. What if they report back."

"Ok, we'll cool the public displays of affection. However, this is not public." She whispered as she raised and kissed his hand.

"I'm not complaining," Neville muttered as he closed his eyes again. The scent of her hair, making him smile as he pulled the covers over them. The air within the tower had dropped, and he knew that they were probably going to expect snow soon. He smirked to himself as he moved his arms, letting his thumb brush one of the triangles of lace and felt her stiffen in his arms as her breath caught. "Now come on, let's get back to sleep." He moved his hand away and waited. She huffed as her body relaxed again.

"Tease." She muttered. "That's not fair."

"What's not fair?" He asked as he fought to keep the smirk from his voice.

"You know what!" She replied grumpily back "You know what that does to me!" She replied. He kissed her neck as he slid his free hand down her sides. His fingers caught the lace of her panties, and he growled.

"And you know what seeing you in lace does to me. I think we're even." He replied as he fingered the hem.

"Please." She pleaded. His cock twitched at the sound of the slight whine in her voice. He loved it when she begged.

"Please what?" He muttered back as he ran his fingers over the lace, making sure to avoid all the sensitive parts but to stroke close enough that it was torture.

"You know what!" She replied, her voice breathy. He stroked her nipple again through the lace and grinned as she jerked.

"I do, but I want you to ask for it," Neville whispered into her ear. "I want you to beg for it." He felt her shudder as her breath stuttered.

He had never put much thought into what he liked in bed, but this is something that they had both discovered together. The powerplay seemed to add spice to it. He lived for it, telling her what to do and he loved it when she decided to be a brat. He loved the feeling of being in control, especially when in almost every other aspect of his life, it was so far from the truth.

"Neville," She whined again into the air.

"If you don't ask, you don't get." He muttered before kissing the soft skin behind her ear.

He continued to circle his thumb around the growing nub in her pyjama top. He knew that she struggled to concentrate when he did that. He stilled his hand and waited. She mewed at him, urging him to continue but he remained still.

"Please, don't stop. I want you to make me feel good." She replied, and he rewarded her as his thumb started its slow orbit around her nipple again.

"How," He demanded. He could feel himself getting hard again as the game heated up. He wished he could take her and fill her. Feel her clench around him as he made her climax. He bit his lip to stop the moan escaping.

"Stop teasing." She moaned. "I need you so bad."

"Need me to do what though? I'm still not certain," He muttered.

"I want you to stop teasing me and touch me. I need to feel your fingers. Please darling. Make me come." She turned around to look at him, her pupils blown wide. "Please,"

It was her eyes and the second please that did it. He pressed his hand under the lacey hem of her knickers as he sought her core. He felt the downy hair before her soft, hot wetness met his fingers. He smiled as he kissed her neck and shoulder before slowly inching his fingers in. He started slow, he wanted it to last. His fingers bearly moved as she sighed into his touch.

"Good girl," he whispered as he began to build the tension as she melted in his arms.

The school was in a state of shock as the rumour mill kicked into overdrive. Everyone had heard about the attack, and some of the claims were beyond crazy. Some suggested that there were still Death Eaters hiding in the forbidden forest. Whilst others believed that dementors had swooped down to feed, as some had been spotted around the castle from time to time. The wards usually held them off.

Most of these assumptions were from the boys. The girls remained quiet on the subject, the obvious implications of a girl being attacked not lost on them.

The atmosphere was subdued at the table as they sat and ate breakfast. Pansy sat away from him as to not arouse suspicions however they were now free to look at each other. He caught her eye and smiled. She appeared the image of perfection in her neatly pressed school robes. Completely the opposite of how she had looked a couple of hours before. He blushed and gazed down at his poached egg as the image of her dishevelled hair, and swollen lips slid its way into his mind.

He glanced at her neck and wondered whether he would glimpse any of the marks he'd left on her. She saw and rubbed her neck absently as she tugged at her collar slightly, flashing the edge of one. He bit his lip to stop from grinning. His favourite had been the one he had left in the valley between her breasts.

He cleared his throat as he turned his attention back to his food. He tried to ignore the images as his cock twitched in interest, but they refused to leave. It made it even more difficult when he could feel her eyes on him. He shook his head as he turned away to keep his composure.

"Post is here," Hermione announced as Blaise released her from beneath his arm.

Neville looked up as the multicoloured owls swooped in, juxtaposed against the grey sky above. A biting frost had covered the grounds this morning, and that meant that the snows were only days away. Neville shivered at the thought and knew that if he was going to get his Bulgerwort, he would have to order it in. Nowhere in the frozen countryside would have a usable sample of the plant now.

He jumped when an owl landed before him, dropping several letters before him. He frowned in confusion. He didn't get post, as a rule, he wondered whether his Gran had finally lost all of her marbles as he lifted them to examine the handwriting. One was indeed from his Gran, but the rest were from others. He recognised Ron's handwriting and grinned. He'd finally managed to wheedle a letter out of him.

"Looks like Neville's a popular fellow, today!" Theo smirked as Neville shuffled through his post. He shook his head and smiled back.

"Harry's written," Hermione announced as she pulled open her letter.

"As has Draco," Pansy added with a grin. "Let's see what our loverboys say today." She said as she eagerly unfolded the parchment in her hand.

Blaise rolled his eyes with a smirk as Hermione's eyes raced through the letter, her lips moving slightly as she read the words on the page.

"I don't believe it!" Ginny remarked as she opened a letter of her own.

"What?" Neville asked.

"Rita Skeeter has invited me to an interview. Apparently, she works for another paper now and is trying to do a series of articles called 'Heroes of Hogwarts.'" Ginny shook her head before looking up at them all. "Neville, it looks like you've got one too, What does yours say?"

Neville put the other letters aside as he opened the one Ginny indicated. It was indeed from Rita Skeeter, asking him to take part too. He screwed up his face in distaste as he crumpled the letter between his fingers.

"Same. I won't be doing that!" He said adamantly.

"I agree with Neville," Luna added as she crushed the letter too.

"I can't believe she would have the nerve to write to us asking that," Ginny said as she tore through hers.

"I think I know why," Pansy added as she flipped the page in her hands. "Our darling Dragon has been very forthcoming in his little rant." She said as her eyes skimmed the pages.

"Harry has been, too," Hermione added.

"Draco writes, and I quote. 'After all the shit I put up with at school watching perfect Potter prancing around saving everyone. I thought that maybe this could be an amazing opportunity to shine. But no! I now have that cretin, McLaggen moving in opposite to open his own futile attempt at a newspaper. And when I say opposite, I mean the imbecile has set up shop where Ollivanders used to be. Has my life not been hard enough thus far? I now have to spend it staring at this buffoon, making a mockery of journalism. He even hired that disgusting Skeeter woman, after she came crawling in here, of course. I turned her away. Oh Pans, Why do I feel like this is going to be like school all over again? Bloody Gryffindors! They get everywhere, assert their dominance and then leave you with problems that you spend far too long pondering over! They are exhausting."

She closed the letter before shooting a sly glance at Neville. He tried not to smile as he sipped his tea, still haunted by the memory of the sweet abomination he'd been handed by Fernsby.

"He still loves his alliteration, doesn't he? Perfect Potter Prancing." Ginny giggled.

"I want to know whether the last was about McLaggen or Potter," Blaise added with a smirk.

They all nodded and laughed as Hermione started with hers.

"Harry said that he bumped into Skeeter in the ministry. He said she looked very smug and happy with herself. She made some remark about being unrestrained and free to pursue her quarry." Hermione paused as she read over the letter again.

"She had the nerve to ask me for an interview. Can you believe the woman? I told her that I would rather swallow blast-ended skrewts. She seemed to think I was joking. The woman is infuriating! Apparently, she's working for a new newspaper, The Daily Sága. And wait for it. It's opened up right opposite the Prophet.

It's almost funny. I would give my entire chocolate frog card collection to see Malfoy's face. I bet the prancing peacock is spitting feathers. I do empathise though. The place is owned by McLaggen. Merlin! Could you imagine being in a room with him and Skeeter at the same time! I almost feel sorry for the ferret. But enough about that annoying git. Skeeter did say something about doing interviews with the survivors and heroes. I've already told her that if she contacts either you, me or Ron, I would have a restraining order on her quicker than you can say 'slander'. Bloody woman!"

Hermione closed the paper stopping Blaise from reading any further. He grinned widely as Hermione smacked him on the arm.

"Appears, our little saviour goes on for quite a bit longer about our little prancing peacock,"

"We really should step in, they need help!" Ginny muttered as she grabbed an apple from the fruit bowl.

"I think they would kill each other if they were in the same room together," Theo added.

"Only if they knew," Ginny smirked, "I bet if we set them up on blind dates and suggested a glamour, they would have the best time."

"Why, Miss Weasley, I do believe your Slytherin is showing," Theo teased.

"From you, I'll take that as a compliment!" She smiled.

Neville shook his head as he ignored the banter. He looked down at his other letters. He opened the one from his Gran next. He pulled open the envelope with some trepidation. The last letter had been fine, but the couple before that had been receipts for groceries. He let out a breath when he saw that it was indeed a letter. His eyes skimmed across the words and realised that once again, there was nothing about his parents in it. He knew that their situation would remain unchanged, but he still liked to hear about them. It appeared that his uncle Algie was trying something new with his Dirigible plumbs, Blimpberries he called them.

Neville nodded with interest, he looked forward to seeing them when Christmas rolled around. Christmas. He sighed as he glanced over at Pansy, who was deep in conversation with Luna. He didn't think he could bear not seeing her for the two-week break. He wondered whether he would be able to see her at all.

He heard something and looked up. The other students did the same as the air filled with papers falling down onto them.

"What the-?" Ginny muttered as the pages landed. Neville picked it up and read the front.

The leaflets were brightly coloured in red and gold as the letters sparkled off the page. McLaggan's smiling face beamed out at him as the font rippled to catch the attention.

"The Daily Sága – The new paper on the block. Dishing up the best news from every corner of the wizarding world. Coming soon – Heroes of Hogwarts – interviews and biographies on our beloved war veterans." Neville frowned and then blinked as text at the bottom flashed up at him. "Not Death Eater Owned."

He looked up at the others, the Slytherins faces were as grim as the Gryffindors were surprised. This did not bode well.


	49. What The Future Holds

The night rolled in early, bearly leaving daylight after lessons. Neville collapsed into the sofa and let his head roll back onto the headrest as he closed his eyes. As much as he had enjoyed his early morning visit. He was paying the price for it now as a yawn forced his jaw open. He covered his mouth when Pansy collapsed next to him, her head finding his shoulder.

The common room was full of people as the majority had a free period last thing on a Monday. Most were hunched over their books as they desperately tried to catch up with their mounting workload. Even Hermione looked more frazzled than usual as she spread out charts and reference sheets over the floor. Blaise furiously tapped on his textbook with his fingers making the quill's feather flounce and dance. Theo chewed on his thumb as Anthony sat on the floor by his feet, his blond head leaning against Theo's knee.

Neville yawned again before reaching for his bag. He really ought to finish the conclusion to his Charms essay he had been putting off. He groaned as his muscles complained. He had spent his free period in the greenhouses, helping Professor Sprout with her plants as he tried to finish off what he could do with his assignment.

The sample of pipeweed seemed to be thriving, and Professor Sprout was confident that come spring they would be able to start harvesting it for its roots and sap. He made a mental note to write to a few of the herbology suppliers to see if there was any chance of getting some Bulgerwort. He would need to get it before they broke for Christmas, he was cutting it fine.

Pansy grabbed her own bag and pulled out some books next to him before leaning against him. She smiled at him as she pulled her legs onto the sofa. Neville kissed her head as they both set off to work.

It felt like not five minutes before the words started to blur across the page. Neville rubbed his eyes as the warmth from the fire, and the wind gently howling beyond the windows lulled him to sleep. He needed caffeine. He leant over to Pansy and moved the hair away from her neck before planting a gentle kiss to the soft flesh. She shivered, raising goosebumps up on her skin.

"Do you want a drink?" He asked quietly. She turned and smiled at him and nodded. She leant forward so he could stand. "Does anyone else want a drink?" He asked around their group. They all said yes as Neville turned to the kitchen.

It had been a plan of the Muggle Studies teacher, to install a kitchen in the tower. Professor Taylor thought that it would teach them skills so that they would be able to operate in a muggle house. Neville liked it as he filled the kettle. He pressed the button and waited while the kettle boiled.

He closed his eyes as he rested his back against the counter. He felt two hands smooth around his waist as Pansy pressed herself up against him in a cuddle. He smiled as he opened his eyes and looked down at her before surrounding her in his arms. She moaned in satisfaction as she gripped him tighter.

"Are you alright?" He asked before kissing her head. "You're very cuddly today." She nodded before looking up at him.

"I'm just distracting myself from Arithmancy." She smirked, "And I couldn't think of a better distraction."

He smiled and rolled his eyes before yawning again.

"Are you alright?" She asked with a smirk. "Something been keeping you awake?" She chuckled quietly as she playfully chewed on her lip.

"I had this crazy dream that there was someone in my bed." He muttered, quietly enough that only she could hear him. "They did terrible things to me," He chuckled.

"Oh, dear, that sounds awful." She replied, her voice filled with mocking sympathy

"Oh, it was! I tried crying out, but I just couldn't get away."

"You poor thing!" She replied teasingly. "You obviously need someone to stay with you and protect you, just in case this vicious beast returns." They both laughed as they pressed their foreheads together.

"Will you be coming to me tonight?" He asked. He hoped she would say yes as he loved waking with her in his arms. But he needed to creep out to the owlery in the morning with her birthday present. Her face dropped, and she pulled away slightly.

"Not tonight, if that's alright? Not unless I have a night terror again." She said. Something about her tone was off; distracted.

"Are you sure you're alright?" He asked. He remembered Theo and Blaise's reaction when they discussed Pansy's birthday and wondered whether there was anything he could do to help.

"I'm alright." She said as she cuddled him again. He held her close, giving her the support she obviously needed.

"If you two are quite done canoodling in there, I would really enjoy a nice cup of tea, right about now," Theo called followed by the chuckles of the rest of their friends. Neville rolled his eyes as they stepped apart. Pansy pushed the green and purple hair behind her ear. Neville frowned. There was still no sign of the colour fading. He really would need to write to George and see whether there was an antidote before Christmas break.

"Can I help with anything?" She asked as he turned back to the kettle.

"You can get the milk?" He offered with a smile as she moved around the kitchen.

The teabags bobbed to the top of the cups as the steaming liquid turned a warn russet brown. The warming smell of tea filled the air. It never failed to impress him how plants and herbs could affect someone's mood so drastically. He marvelled at the wonder of it all as his mind wandered.

For a moment, he could see it in his mind's eye, clear as crystal. The pair of them, together in a small cottage. The cold wind howling in the night as they drank tea and cuddled together by the fire. Sharing interesting facts about their day as they discussed work. Pansy talking about her work in Spagyric and he discussing his students or about some rare herb found only in the smallest acre of Patagonia or somewhere. He clung to it, hung his heart onto it and wished that they could be that happy one day. He glanced at her as she pulled the glass bottle out of the fridge. She looked at him and smiled, her eyes narrowing.

"A knut for your thoughts, Longbottom." She teased as she pressed the bottom into his waiting hand.

"I was just thinking about where I'd like to be in the future."

"Oh, really? And where is that?" She asked, cuddling up to his side as he poured the milk into the drinks, leaving hers black.

"I saw a cottage, with a roaring fireplace and a large comfortable sofa. With you and me stretched out, talking about our day." He considered for a moment "Although, I would be happy anywhere with you." He smiled. She smiled back before kissing him on the cheek.

"Just the two of us?" She asked as she jumped up onto the counter.

"Yes, why?" He asked as he stirred in sugar into one of the mugs.

"Do you ever think about children?" She asked coyly as she looked at her painted nail. He paused for a moment and eyed her curiously.

"Is this the point where you offer me your steadfast opinion on the matter?" He chuckled before continuing. "I'd like children one day, but it's never really been a big must,"

She nodded as she continued to look at her nails. "I'm just going to take these out, you wait here, we're not finished!" He murmured, possibly with more force than he intended if her face was anything to go by.

Neville carried the drinks out, distributing them around the group before returning to Pansy. He stood in front of her and placed his hands on her knees.

"Where do you see yourself in the future?" He asked.

She shrugged before looking up at him. "If you had asked me that two months ago, I'd have said married to a powerful family with some heirs. You get the picture." She sighed. "But now, I want to be someone and do something with my life. I want to go out there not tied to a home and children. But I want you with me. Children have always been a prerequisite to my future. Now that it's possibly optional, I'm unsure how I feel."

"It''s not like we need to decide now. A lot can happen. You may decide that I'm annoying after all." He replied as she rolled her eyes.

"More like, you'll get fed up of dealing with my shit," She said, looking down again.

"We've all got baggage, we can carry more if we carry it together." Neville offered.

"How are you so wise? I'm almost a year older than you are."

Neville shrugged as he slid his hands slowly up her legs, feeling the shiny netting of her stockings as she opened her legs for him. They came together, eye to eye as she dared him to try something naughty. Nevile smirked as he pushed his thumbs under her skirt, feeling the firm lace edges of her stockings. He sighed as she pulled him in for a kiss. She held his face before pulling away to look him in the eyes. She smiled before pulling him in for a cuddle. He cuddled her back, feeling her warm skin against him.

"I meant to ask earlier." She muttered quietly. "Who were the letters from? You got quite a few?" Neville paused for a moment before pulling away.

"You know about the Skeeter letter already. I got one from Gran, which wasn't a shopping list, which is always great." He fished the letters out of his pocket where he'd shoved them all those hours before. "She doesn't tell me about my parents any more. I know that it's unlikely that there's anything new happening, but I'd still like to know." He said. He paused before putting the wag of letters down. He stepped away from her to grab his tea. He blew on it before taking a tentative sip. "I also got one from Ron."

"Weasley? What does he want?" She asked, unable to keep the distrust from her voice.

"Not much really. He just wanted to update me on what was happening with Cornfoot and Hannah. Apparently, Rivers confessed to the whole thing, He said that Hannah changed back during…" He waved his hand around vaguely before holding the mug again.

"So they could tell it wasn't me in the end?" She asked. Neville nodded. "Shit!"

Neville nodded again. "Shit indeed."

"So does the Weasley have anything else to say?" She asked as she blew on her black coffee.

"Erm, not really. He mentioned going to the Burrow for Boxing day. That's where the Weasleys live." He took another sip of his tea "Erm, he talked a bit about Auror basic training. Apparently, the Potions exam is more harrowing than any of Snape's classes, which has me worried some. I really have to knuckle down."

"I can help you with that if you like? I'm good at potions." She offered.

"That would be great, I feel like I'm falling behind in class." She smiled before sipping her drink.

"So, what do you normally do for Christmas?" She asked.

"Christmas day is normally at home with Gran, sometimes some of my uncles and aunts come around, but they're all getting on now, so sometimes they can't make it. I make the dinner, we sit down and listen to the queen's speech on the radio and then I usually end up spending the rest of the night reading a new book." Pansy smiled at him with an odd look on her face. "What?" He asked, stroking her knee.

"You can cook?" She asked. Neville smirked and looked away.

"I can, I'm not a master chef or anything, but I can put together a passable meal." He narrowed his eyes. "why? Does that surprise you?"

She smirked and looked away before coughing slightly.

"I'm totally not thinking of you in only an apron…" She muttered with a blush.

Neville almost spat out his tea as the chuckle erupted. He coughed as he patted his chest.

"And I'm totally not thinking that it's one of the hottest things ever," Pansy said as she fingered the rim of her cup and crossed her legs.

"If you're good, I might make you dinner one night. However, I will have to wear clothes under the apron, the other students might complain otherwise."

"Only some of the boys." Pansy smirked, "But you're right, I don't want the girls getting a free show."

"Now, if we ever live together, I'll make you breakfast in bed in only an apron." He watched as Pansy closed her eyes and bit her lip before blinking up at him. She gazed at him from underneath her thick eyelashes, and he melted a bit inside.

"Promise?" She asked huskily.

"Promise, I might even make _you_ the breakfast." He winked and watched as her cheeks reddened, and her lips parted slightly at the suggestion. He heard her breath fall out before she licked her lips.

"You have a filthy mouth, Longbottom!" she whispered. "However, I have one question."

"Yes?" He asked.

"Does that offer only apply at breakfast? Or can it be any time of the day?" Her eyes dropped to his lips before looking back up into his face. He chuckled before putting his cup down. He cupped her face and pulled her forward so that only she could hear what he was about to say.

"You didn't ask me how long I'd make the meal last." She sighed. "I mean, I can be a very slow eater, sometimes a meal can take me hours to finish." He couldn't help the grin that spread across his face as a thrill rushed up to his spine. He ignored the stirring swell in his trousers at the thought he'd painted for himself.

He pulled away enough to see her face. Her eyes were closed, and she still chewed on her lip with her perfect white teeth.

He kissed her on the nose before picking up his mug and letters again. "Now come on, We've got homework to finish." He chuckled as he held a hand out to her. She slowly opened her eyes and glared at him playfully.

"You have a filthy mouth and a mean streak, Neville Longbottom!" She huffed grumpily before she jumped off the counter. "But I like it," She smiled as she took his hand.

"You two took your time!" Theo muttered as they strolled back into the common room. He glanced up from his books and smirked knowingly.

"Neville was telling me he knows how to cook," Pansy said as she dropped down onto the sofa.

"You can cook?" Blaise and Theo asked in unison.

"Why is that so surprising to everyone?" Neville asked as he lowered himself onto the sofa next to Pansy.

"Because you've always been so rubbish at potions. The theory behind it is the same as cookery." Theo offered. "Technically, if you're good at one, you should be good at the other."

Neville frowned. He'd never thought of Potions like that before, but it made sense. He shook his head as he pretended to ignore them before picking his books up. He would certainly have to try thinking like that.


	50. Rumours

Tuesday morning arrived without any nighttime visitors, both to Neville's relief and disappointment. He had hoped to wake her up with a kiss on her birthday. He had sworn himself to silence; deciding not to mention it to her at all. He had included a little note with the pendant, and he hoped that made up for it.

The school was still abuzz with gossip from the weekend and the chance sighting of one of the golden trio, and an Auror no less. The first years were the most excited as they hadn't been around to see the nightmares that the Hogwarts halls had seen. They still had the sheen of innocence as they looked at everything.

"Eurgh, It's just as well the idiot isn't here to hear all the fuss, he's got a big enough head already," Ginny grumbled as she caught a third-year Gryffindor raving about Ron.

"He did a lot, though… and he is very charming. He makes me laugh," Luna smiled

"Ronald Weasley? Charming?" Blaise snorted.

"Blaise," Hermione warned.

"He's right though," Anthony added with a grimace. "He's a great guy, but charming is certainly not the word I would use."

"Thank you!" Ginny said loudly as she pointed to Anthony. "No wonder you like him." She grinned as she threw a wink to Theo. Theo smiled and winked back before reaching for a banana.

Neville sat, focusing on trying to appear normal when his insides twisted and knotted like an eel. He couldn't even contemplate the thought of food, as the nerves bubbled and fizzed away inside him.

"Are you alright?" Hermione asked from his left. He turned to her and nodded as he tried to smile. He glanced to his right, chewing on the inside of his lip as he worried over his surprise.

Pansy sat dejectedly next to him, pushing her crepe around the plate. She had avoided everyone's gaze, including his own and kept her face down. He hoped that it wasn't an omen as he glanced at the high windows for the owls.

"Are you expecting something, Neville?" Luna asked as she too looked up towards the ceiling. "The altocumulus castellanus is very pretty today, well spotted." She said with a smile.

"The what?" Ginny asked before taking a large bite of toast.

"The clouds, they're like small towers," Luna said as she pointed up at the great hall's ceiling. The charm that reflected the weather beyond its walls had managed to survive the battle.

Neville nodded as though that's what he had spotted all along. Hermione narrowed her eyes at him as she sipped her coffee. He knew that he wasn't fooling her. Pansy continued to stab at her breakfast in silence as she tried to make herself as small as possible. He dearly hoped that the present would bring a smile to her face and not trigger anything.

It had all seemed like such a wonderful idea as he'd strolled down to the owlery earlier that morning. The weather had turned completely, dowsing the country in ice and frost. He now needed to wrap up warm to leave the castle walls.

"Neville?" Blaise called making him jump.

"Sorry," He muttered as he gave te darker man his attention.

"I asked whether you could pass me the butter." He repeated with a frown.

"Oh, yeah. Here." He said as he passed the bowl along. He looked down at his empty plate.

"You ready for your match this weekend, Weasley?" Theo asked as he spread the jam on his toast.

"More than ready, The snakes are going down!" Ginny replied with a playful growl.

"I don't think so!" Blaise smirked back with a raised eyebrow. "Urquhart has managed to scrape together a pretty respectable team, and best of all, his keeper isn't afraid of the Quaffle." Ginny's eyes narrowed.

"Yes, but at least Rhodes can spot the snitch. I think Radcliff is about as oblivious as Malfoy was whenever Harry was on the pitch!" They all laughed as they remembered happier times. Neville turned to find Pansy smiling weakly before returning her gaze to her bearly touched food.

"Are you alright?" He whispered as he leaned closer to her. She nodded before placing her fork down.

"Today just isn't a good day for me," she explained.

"How come?"

"It's nothing. Don't worry." She said dismissively.

"You know you can tell me anything, don't you?" She nodded but still didn't look at him. She pushed some food into her mouth, but he suspected that she only did it, so she didn't have to answer him.

He turned back to his rapidly cooling tea. He had a really bad feeling about this. He was just about to say something to her when she stood up.

"Oh, Post!" Luna announced. He felt his nerves do another somersault as he heard the first hoots as the owls arrived.

"I'll see you in Transfiguration," Pansy said with a squeeze of his shoulder before she retreated out of the hall. He watched after her in confusion as the owls began to swoop down, depositing her post at her seat.

"Where's Pansy gone?" Ginny asked as she opened her own letters.

"Ignore Pansy today," Blaise advised as he struggled to open a package he'd received.

"Why?" Luna asked "I thought people liked their birthdays? I love mine, I get cake."

"It's her birthday?" Ginny asked. Theo and Blaise looked at each other before looking at Neville. The silence was awkward, and only Luna seemed oblivious to the tension. Theo stepped in, placing a flat hand on the centre of the table to get everyone's attention.

"It would be in all of your best interests to pretend that you don't know. Don't wish her happy birthday, don't give her a card or anything. Trust us on this," Theo nodded. They all looked at each other in confusion before agreeing.

Neville looked at the tiny pile of letters and the small parcel before turning to Theo.

"I'll look after these for her." He offered as he slid them closer. Theo's eyes dropped to the small parcel and then back up to Neville before nodding.

He looked at his own pile of letters and rifled through them.

"Not again," Ginny announced as she read her own post. She looked up to Neville and shook her head. "That bloody woman isn't going to let this go!"

Neville looked and found that he had a letter from Rita Skeeter too. He rolled his eyes as he looked at Ginny.

"What's she got to say for herself today?"

"Not sure if you received my letter. Blah, blah, blah. Please write back to discuss times for your interview blah, blah, blah." She summarised. Neville rolled his eyes again and ripped up his letter without reading it. The tossed it onto the plate that had most of Pansy's crepe on before he turned to the others.

"Looks like Harry's written to you as well," Hermione said as she spotted one of his other letters.

"What does perfect Potter prattle on about today?" Ginny said with a snort "There's one for Malfoy!"

Neville read the letter and frowned with interest. It was a rather long letter and one that needed to be read properly. Harry went into detail about work and about the job itself. Neville closed it and stuffed it into his pocket. He would read it properly later when he could reply.

"He doesn't mention Malfoy once." Neville shot back. "Sorry," He smiled as they all chuckled.

The last letter had his stomach squirming again as he opened it. He signed and hung his head when a load of newspaper cuttings fell out. He rubbed his eyes, then pinched the bridge of his nose before he picked up all the pieces.

"What's going on there? Newspaper cuttings?" Blaise added before reaching around Hermione to pick up a piece.

"My Gran, I think she's losing her marbles. Last week it was receipts."

"Hold on a minute," Blaise said, his tone was serious.

"What?"

"Hermione," He muttered as he passed the slip to her. Hermione frowned as she took the clipping. Her eyes skimmed the cutting as her eyes widened with shock.

"Neville, is there a letter with these?"

Neville frowned and looked inside the envelope. There was a small letter.

"Yeah, It's from Gran, she said that she received a new newspaper by owl yesterday. That these were some of the things being reported." He felt slightly relieved that there was a reason she'd sent them through.

"The Daily Saga by any chance?" Blaise asked. Neville read on and nodded.

"Why? What does it say?"

Hermione shook her head and passed the slip to Ginny, who took it carefully. Neville watched as the colour filled her cheeks, almost hiding her freckles. Hermione started picking up the others and reading them, grabbing each one more frantically than the last.

"I don't believe her!" She murmured in shock.

"What?" Neville asked as he picked up one of the cuttings.

His eyes skimmed the writing as he swallowed. He couldn't believe what he was reading. Articles talking about Ginny using an enchanted broom to boost her Quidditch performance. About Luna's mom and her death not being as accidental as they had made out. He chewed the inside of his mouth as he read through them, hoping that there was nothing about him or Pansy.

"Listen to this one!" Ginny said her tone dripping with acid as she jerkily straightened the trimming. "Golden girl, Hermione Granger, may not be as squeaky clean as the wizarding world believes. Known for being an avid activist in favour of liberating house elves from unpaid servitude. Little Miss Granger is secretly using her organisation S.P.E.W, to harvest their blood for nefarious experiments and enchantments. One such victim was found buried on a beach in Cornwall, completely exsanguinated. Little Miss Golden has some explaining to do."

Hermione covered over her mouth with her hand as tears fell from her eyes. Blaise pulled her close as she started to shake. Neville knew only bits of what had happened whilst they were out on the run but knew that Hermione still had panic attacks about it.

"I'm going to kill her! I'm going to shove that poison quill so far up her backside, that whenever she talks, she'll spit ink!" Ginny fumed as she started gathering up all the snippets "And what she said about George, I'm…" She growled. There was another commotion as more owls started to swoop in dropping scrolls in their wake. Luna grabbed one and unrolled it.

"It's a copy of the Saga." She said as she started to read. "Neville, I didn't know that your Gran was part of an illegal plant smuggling ring." Neville almost laughed as he reached out and grabbed a scroll of his own.

"Why is it that they only seem to be targeting the people on the winning side of the war?" Theo asked as he leafed through.

"Probably to sell more copies." Blaise replied, "Death eater gossip has been overdone."

"You're in here, Blaise," Luna added as she looked up. Her brows furrowed in confusion as she continued to read. "I didn't know that your mother didn't approve of Hermione." Neville turned back to Blaise. His face paled as he snatched up a copy of the newspaper for himself. Hermione trembled, covering her face as she tried to hold herself together. Neville pulled her close and hugged her as Blaise's eyes raced through the pages.

"It's ok, you're safe," Neville whispered to her as she started to hyperventilate. He hadn't seen Hermione lose control very often, but sometimes things hit her sideways. It was a sad fact that almost everyone in the older years knew how to help someone with a panic or anxiety attack. He rubbed her back in slow circles so that she had something rhythmic to grasp onto.

"Zoccola!" He cursed as he read on. "My mother wouldn't have said this." He threw the paper down. "It's fake, everything in it is fake or incorrect. It's sensational journalism. That Stronzo McLaggen just wants to make a big bang for his first addition."

He reached for Hermione as he stroked her hair. Neville let her go before looking at the paper again. He looked around the hall and noticed people looking over at them. It seemed that all of the eighth-years were being studied by the other students as they read the tabloid. He shook his head in shock as some of the students seemed to be believing what they were reading.

"People are falling for this again," He said as he felt the anger building up within him. "It's going to be like the bullshit we had in fourth and fifth year." He felt a rising desperation at the thought of being in such a media storm again.

"I'll write to Harry," Hermione whispered. "And I'll write to Rita. I may be able to stop her.

"And I'll write to Ron, They have to be able to do something!" Ginny promised.

"Knowing our luck, probably not."

"Don't be such a pessimist, Longbottom," Theo added as he threw the paper into the middle. "And anyway, I need to talk to you about some Scoke and Lubigan. Any idea when your Gran can get me a stash?. Help a bloke out?" Theo joked

That seemed to break the tension as they laughed. But Neville had a horrible feeling about Rita's toxic rumours.

Glossary -

Blaise's Italian swear words -

Stronzo – literally "turd" but also "arsehole" or "asshole", "bitch", "idiot", "stupid", "sod".

Zoccola – slut, whore; bitch; zoccola also means "sewer rat."

Other items -

Scoke - Is a folk name for a plant called "Poke" (phytolacca decandra, P. Americana) which is poisonous if consumed. Used in hex-breaking and also to bestow courage.

Also known as – Coakum, Cocan, Crowberry, Garget, Inkberry, Pigeon Berry, Pocan, Pokeberry Root, Poke Root, Polk Root, Scoke & Virginian Poke.

In this context, I have used it as a substance which can be absorbed and used to create a mild high with added courage and confidence - think "Dutch courage" etc. Please do not consume.

Lubigan - Is a folk name for a plant called Calamus (Acorus Calamus) which is poisonous if consumed. Usually used for luck, healing, money & protection.

Also known as Gladdon, Myrtle Flag, Myrtle Grass, Myrtle Sedge, Sweet Cane, Sweet Flag, Sweet Grass, Sweet Root, Sweet Rush, Sweet Sedge & Lubigan.

Once again, in this context, it is used as a recreational drug known to the students of Hogwarts. Please do not consume.


	51. Happy Birthday

"No, my Gran can't get you some Scoke." Neville sighed again as he collapsed into the empty seat at the back.

"But, we heard that your Gran-"

"Let me stop you there, My Grandmother has not now nor has ever been involved with the black market or the illegal smuggling of anything. If you want some Scoke, you're going to have to go somewhere else."

The seventh-year boys that stood before him frowned.

"But, we heard-"

"You heard wrong." Neville interrupted as he pulled his books out of his bag.

"We get it, You can't talk about it." They nodded as if they were in on the plot. Neville frowned at them and shook his head.

"You obviously don't." He huffed and sat down before looking at them intently. "You guys are clever, right? You must be, you're in Ravenclaw. When has Rita Skeeter ever printed a story that was even halfway accurate?"

They looked at each other and shook their heads before shrugging. Neville pinched the bridge of his nose. "Look, Just tell your friends, classmates, anyone who will listen. My Gran doesn't do that, and I certainly don't!"

"You'll be losing out on serious cash?" The one lad said.

"Just leave me alone," Neville pleaded as McGonagall appeared at the front of the class. She was still setting up her desk when Pansy collapsed into the seat next to him. He jumped in surprise.

The Ravenclaws stood there looking at them both, their hands still hovering expectantly as they waiting for Neville to come to his senses.

"Are you deaf?" Pansy asked, glaring at the seventh years. This seemed to jolt them out of their daze. They jumped at the sudden question and turned around, throwing dirty looked behind them as they found their seats.

"I thought you would come and sit with me," She said quietly

"I thought about it, but then I remembered we were trying to be a bit more subtle." He explained as he held her hand.

"Fuck being subtle." She said as she leant against him. He threw his arm around her shoulders and pulled her in close. He chewed the inside of his lip, as he considered the potential ramifications of being seen so cuddly. McGonagall cleared her throat before turning to the class, her face as serious as he had ever seen it. The students sprang to attention, and she nodded in approval.

"Good morning class, Before we begin today, I would just like to make a small announcement to you with regards to this mornings post. There have been numerous complaints about a certain publication claiming to have interesting and juicy gossip pertaining to certain members of the faculty, the student body and of other Hogwarts alumni." She looked around at them all before she continued "I will be making another formal announcement this evening at supper. However, I would like to assure you that these allegations are false and are defamatory in nature. For that very reason, I have requested that copies of this ridiculous publication are no longer sent here."

She stood up and paced for a moment. "I have already heard reports of bullying, and I refuse to accept this sort of behaviour in my school. Now I appreciate that this may not be aimed at yourselves. Still, as the adults of the student body, it is your responsibility to look beyond the printed word and see the motivations behind. I entrust to you to protect those younger than yourselves. If you see anything untoward, I implore you to step in a put a stop to it. And finally, I have known Augusta Longbottom since she studied here and I can assure you that she wouldn't know a Flitterbloom from Stinksap. If I hear that anyone is trying to purchase anything from the black market, then I will have to seriously consider your place within this school. Do I make myself clear?"

The students nodded as Pansy leant closer.

"What is she talking about?" She whispered.

"McLaggan's new paper printed a load of rumours. Saying crazy things like Luna murdered her mother, or that Kingsley Shacklebolt is Dean Thomas' father." He shook his head as he whispered back. "They claimed that Gran is part of an illegal plant smuggling operation. So obviously everyone wants drugs or something for some dodgy potions."

"What?" Pansy whispered loudly attracting McGonagall's attention.

"I said, Miss Parkinson, Do I make myself clear."

"Yes, Professor." She answered with a blush.

Neville smiled at her as she pushed the aqua hair behind her ear. She twitched her lips in response before getting her books out ready.

They didn't get much chance to talk that lesson as McGonagall decided to go through the metaphysical process of changing one's own form. By the end, Neville's hand was cramping from all the notes he'd taken from the blackboard.

On their way to the great hall for lunch, he couldn't help the gazes that seem to be pointed to himself and the other eighth year's.

"Why is everyone looking at you like you've grown a second head?"

"I don't know. I didn't get chance to read the whole paper, there may have been an article about me in there."

"About you? What could they write about you? You're hardly living life in the fast lane. Fast brooms, loose women." She smirked slightly, and he smiled back. It cheered him up at she was trying to interact with him.

"That's what you think." Neville winked before grinning at her. He hoped that she would join him in some banter and it looked like she wanted to, but she stopped as she glanced at the floor, the smile slipping from her lips.

They entered through the great archway and joined their friends at the table. Hermione was still furiously reading through the paper as she ignored the food before them.

Neville and Pansy sat down as they looked at the grim faces of the others.

"What now?" Neville asked as he swung his bag under the table.

"Hermione hadn't read through today's edition completely so she's now catching up. Apparently, Lavender Brown didn't die and is currently terrorising Uttoxeter."

"Why, Uttoxeter?" Neville asked.

Blaise shrugged.

"How is Skeeter getting away with this?"

"Why is McLaggen letting her?" Pansy asked, "Surely there are laws about this sort of thing?"

They all shrugged.

"I've got a free period next so I'm going to send letters to everyone I can think of. They can't get away with this," Hermione muttered without looking up from the paper.

Neville turned back to the food and took some sandwiches. He noticed that Pansy hadn't grabbed anything. He grabbed a selection of food on a plate before placing it in front of her. She looked up and offered him a thin smile.

He leant forward and kissed her temple. "Happy birthday." He whispered before moving away again. He saw her tense and cursed. He had promised himself that he wouldn't say anything. She went to stand up, her eyes hard and distant.

"Pansy, I'm sorry." He said as he grabbed her wrist. She yanked her arm away and out of his grasp, and he let her. She grabbed her bag, and after flinging it over her shoulder, almost ran out of the hall.

Neville cursed again as he hit the wood with his hand.

"You wished her happy birthday, didn't you?" Blaise asked with a wince. Neville nodded before rubbing at his eyes with the balls of his palms. This day couldn't get much worse.

"Yep,"

"Oh Salazar, What did you go and do a stupid thing like that for?" Theo whined.

"I didn't mean to, it just slipped out. I was being nice!"

"I still don't understand. What's the problem?" Ginny asked. Her face was scrunched up with confusion.

"Just know that it is a problem." Theo frowned. "She's going to be in a pissy mood now for the rest of the day. I hope you know that?" he shot a disapproving look back at Neville.

"What happened?" Neville asked again. "Why is she like this?"

"You are casting with the wrong wand, my friend," Blaise said with a shake of his head. "We are sworn to secrecy,"

"How am I supposed to find out if none of you will tell me?" Blaise and Theo looked at each other before turning back to Neville.

They shrugged and shook their heads again. "If she doesn't tell you, you'll have to get used to disappointment."

"This isn't right. I'm her boyfriend, I should know stuff like this!" He felt the frustration  
building again and this wonderful day wasn't even half over yet.

"You'll have to take that up with her, it's not our tale to tell," Theo added.

Neville growled in frustration as he grabbed his bag and went after her. He didn't need this today.

He pushed through the corridors as he thought of where she could've gone. He ignored the other students who tried to stop to talk to him. It occurred to him that they were also probably after some scoke or some other random and hard to get plant. Maybe if his Gran did deal in illegal and hard to get plants, he might be in a better position to get his Bulgerwort.

He pushed passed them roughly as he kept his gaze in the distance, not focusing on anyone, unwilling to be waylaid. He decided to try the common room first, then possibly the dungeons.

"Mr Longbottom?" He stopped and turned to see Professor McGonagall walking after him waving her hand to attract his attention. She lifted the front of her robes as she walked, the black and green material swaying around her.

"Professor," He greeted before looking back down the corridor.

"I can see that you are in a rush; however this will only be a quick word, and then you can see to your other, more pressing matters." She said tartly. He blushed at the admonishment.

"Sorry Professor."

"It is, in fact, I who must apologise to you, Neville."

He looked up at her use of his name. "Apologise to me?" His brows knotted together as he frowned.

"Indeed, What I said in lesson about Augusta. I merely said it to reduce the fall out over that poxy tabloid."

Neville nodded.

"Don't worry, Professor. Hopefully, I won't get any more requests for Scoke or Lubigan."

"If you do, I want to hear about who is asking. I know that people are struggling at the moment, but I will not allow illegal stimulants into this school. I want a list."

"Yes, Professor."

"And let's keep my little tirade between you and me, shall we?" She winked and forced him to smile.

"Absolutely."

"The last thing I need right now is an angry letter from your Gran." She chuckled as they started walking. "So where are you off to in such a hurry?"

"I'm looking for Miss Parkinson, I said something to upset her."

"Was it birthday related?" She asked, her curious gaze peering over her spectacles. She readjusted the books in the crook of her other arm as she waited for an answer.

"Yes," Neville replied,

"She has always been sensitive about it," McGonagall shook her head.

"She refuses to tell me what happened. Neither will Nott or Zabini."

"I see," She replied.

"I'm her boyfriend, surely I should know about these things?" He whined.

"This is something you need to speak to Miss Parkinson about, I know that is not what you want to hear, but this is what being in a relationship is about. It's about trust if nothing else."

"Thank you, Professor." He huffed. He wanted to argue but knew that it was futile. Once the witch made a decision, she stuck to it like the Epoximise charm.

"Now, I would suggest you find her and talk to her and tell her how you feel." McGonagall stopped as they reached the end of the corridor. "Good Luck, Neville." She smiled and pushed her glasses up her nose before turning right towards the staff room.

He turned left and headed towards the tower. He took the steps three at a time as he rushed to find her. He knew that if they didn't get a chance to talk before Potions, it would have to wait until the end of the day and he really didn't want to prolong it. He pushed through the door and glanced around. Padma, Isobel and Mandy looked up at him as he rushed through.

"If you're looking for Parkinson, she's in the dorms." Lisa offered tartly.

"Thanks," He replied before rushing off. He could just about hear Lisa mumbling grumpily about him ignoring her over 'moody and snobbish' Pansy. He shook his head in disbelief, girls were crazy.

He reached the first platform, outside of the boy's dorms and stopped. He'd never been further, believing that the stairs were charmed. He had images of getting halfway up and then sliding all the way back down again. He took a deep breath and prepared himself before leaping up them, hoping that he could make it to the top before they changed.

Nothing happened.

He rolled his eyes in exasperation. Of course, it hadn't! After all this time, he hadn't known. It probably said something about his integrity or his chivalrous nature that he hadn't tried climbing them before. He took a deep breath before coming face to face with the portrait at the top of the stairs.

"And you are?" She asked arrogantly, her French accent cutting through the air harshly.

The woman looked to be in her late fifties; however, judging by the age of the paintwork, she could have been any age over thirty. Her large powdered wig sat like a globe on the top of her hair whilst her chalked-white face glared out at him. Two red circles painted onto the apples of her cheeks the same colour as her lips finished the effect of a lady in a French court.

"Neville, Neville Longbottom. Is Pansy in there?" He asked as he tried to catch his breath.

"How very rude, you are supposed to ask of whom you are speaking." Neville rolled his eyes. Of course, the portrait would be difficult, it's not like anything could go easily for him today. He wondered whether Mercury was in retrograde. He would have to check with Theo. It would explain so much.

"And who are you?" He breathed

"What is it to do with you?"

"But you just said,"

"What do you want, oh, rude one?"

"I need to speak with Pansy Parkinson, please."

"And what shall I say is the reason for your visit.

"Please, I just need to speak with her."

"Of course. I'll let you in…" She smiled. Her eyes narrowed, and Neville knew there was going to be a catch even before she spoke again. "What is the password?"

Neville frowned at the portrait and shrugged. "I don't know."

"Then you can't come in!" The portrait crossed her arms over her lap in a move that looked like something that Pansy would do, all languid grace.

"Can you tell her that I'm here then please?"

"Why should I?"

"Because I asked nicely?" Neville offered.

"True, But what's in it for me?"

"What do you want?

"Someone to talk to would be nice." She grumbled. "I'm not able to wander like the other paintings. I wasn't finished." She said as she motioned to an unpainted corner of the canvas,

"Alright, if you let me in, I promise that I will come back and listen to you for a whole hour?" How does that sound?"

"A week."

"A week?" Neville exclaimed.

"Yes, one hour a week and I get to choose the subject?"

"Alright, I promise." He huffed "Now please, let me in."

"Alright."

The portrait opened, and Neville stepped inside. There was a short corridor before it opened up into the main dorm. It was similar to the boy's dorm; however, the colours were different, brighter.

"Neville?" He heard her behind him and spun around.

He didn't see her immediately, just an empty room with four beds and other furniture. "What are you doing in here?" She asked again, drawing his eye. Pansy sat curled up in the corner of her bed as she looked at him. Her face was tear-soaked and pale against the deep forest green of her curtains.

The beds were identical to the boy's, thick, dark wooden four-poster beds, with heavily embroidered drapes. Pansy's was like looking into a forest at dusk as the deep greens shimmered against the rose gold and yellow gold highlights. The black adding shadow and contrast to the dramatic imagery.

"We need to talk," He hated saying the words, but he needed to get it off his chest.

"no, we don't," She said before turning away.

He stepped closer and sat on the edge of her bed.

"Why won't you tell me what's going on?" He asked quietly.

"Because it's not important,"

"Says she, hiding amongst her pillows crying."

"Just get out," She said through gritted teeth "I don't want to see you at the moment."

"Pansy?" He said as he tried to touch her leg.

"I said, get out."


	52. Like A Cancer

The silence stretched out between them as Neville sat there looking at her. She refused to look at him as she covered her eyes with her hands. Neville took a deep breath before standing up slowly, brushing his trousers down as he straightened. He gave her one last look before turning away to leave.

"Neville…" She said whispered.

"I know you're having a bad day, I'm not having a great day either. If I stay, I'll only make it worse. With everything else that's happened, I just didn't want to be fretting over us too."

He paused and twiddled with the hem of his sleeve as he toyed with speaking again, "I thought we were good, and we should be. We should be happy and having fun, not having these issues. I just want to understand. I want to know what's wrong so that I can help, but you're not giving me the chance."

"Neville, listen…" She pleaded, and the heartbreak in her voice caught his breath.

"I'm listening, so tell me."

"I can't,"

"You once told me that when you got married, you wanted to have a partnership with your husband, where everything was equal. This isn't equal-"

"And we're not married." She shot back tartly. He swallowed and looked at her sternly, and she had the decency to look away again.

"No, we're not." He paused, so close to saying something cutting, but he didn't want to hurt her feelings. He bit his tongue "You'll never get a 'partnership' with anyone unless you let people in." He turned to leave.

"Neville, I'm sorry…" He took a deep breath before turning back to her, he knew how much that apology had cost her.

"Will you ever stop running away from me?" He sighed.

"I'm not running away from you. I not running away from anything!" She replied glumly.

"Yes, you are. You're running and hiding because you're afraid of something, why won't you tell me?

Neville watched as her bottom lip trembled.

"I'm not scared of something!" She sniffed before the big, angry tears started to pour down her cheeks, "I'm scared of everything! I'm frightened walking through the corridors on my own, I'm afraid of failing or worse, succeeding. I'm scared that I'll forever be a slave to someone else, to never have control of my own life. I'm petrified that I'll end up like my aunt, killing myself over a man whom I worshipped but who gave up on me. But most of all, I'm afraid that you'll finally see how broken I really am and you'll be the one giving up on me."

He sighed and looked at his hands "You don't have the monopoly of being terrified, y'know? Being afraid doesn't give you Carte Blanche to react like that. To bolt off like a frightened horse. There isn't one person in this school over the age of 12 who isn't broken in some way. I know that you're broken, I see it in every glance and every smile. Every time you flinch at a loud noise. Your nightmares." He held out his hands in frustration. "But look," He pounded his chest with his fist. It hurt, and he needed it to.

"I'm still here. I've been here from the beginning, and I'm not going anywhere. I don't think that there is anything you could tell me that would make me give up on you." He shook his head and looked at the floor. The passion seeping out of him in a sudden rush of fatigue.

"You need to stop this!" He whispered "You need to stop pushing me away. Stop blaming the rest of the world for everything that goes wrong. You're not a child any more. Take responsibility and let people in behind those walls," He turned and pinched the bridge of his nose. His heart was so very heavy, and he felt too tired to lift it.

"I love you, Pansy. So much! I'm here for whatever, whenever if it will help. But, I also want you to know that every time you push me away, I get used to the distance a little bit more." He shook his head.

"Neville, please." She called desperately as he reached the corridor.

"We both need time to think. Me being here won't help either of us. I'm going to Potions. If you want to talk after lessons, I'll be in the common room." He looked at her, reaching for him. "I want all of you, and I won't compromise and accept less. I don't think I deserve less and nor do you. If you can't give me that, then there's nothing else for us to talk about." He looked at her, and the tears in her eyes almost broke his resolve. He turned away from her and walked out of the dorm before he could change his mind. His legs felt leaden and stiff as he descended the stairs to the common room.

Potions dragged by as the acid in his stomach sloshed and stung. Pansy didn't show up, leaving Blaise, Theo, and Ginny confused. They tried asking questions, but Neville just shook his head and tried to concentrate. He managed to make a passable wound-cleaning potion, and even Slughorn commented on it. Then immediately after asked after the welfare of his Gran and her interest in rare plants, for purely academic reasons, of course.

He thanked Theo for the advice about cooking, knowing that it had unlocked a new skill that had been closed to him before. He focused on the textbook and cauldron, ignoring all else around him as the words of their argument chased each other around his mind. He was both horrified and satisfied with what he had said.

He wandered to the greenhouses after Potions. He usually spent his spare time there during free periods. He enjoyed the simplicity of the plants. They demanded nothing of him, they never demanded anything from him. There had always been a certain sense of relief in that simple relationship, but now it was different. Now it gave him time to think and feel away from prying eyes and judgemental thoughts. To an extent, it even gave him time apart from Pansy.

He remembered something she said once while he was still with Hannah. "It's important to let a partner breathe. Too much time together stifles the flame" He thought on that as he pushed his hands deep into the soil, feeling the chilly moistness around his fingers as he tried to free the roots of some Knotgrass. The pungent scent of earth filled his nostrils, soothing the tension that had been building in his shoulders.

He let out a sigh. It was comforting to know that even when the world was unstable and complicated beyond the wood and glass doors, there was still a modicum of serenity surrounded in nature. And maybe, this time apart to think would help them both.

The dread of the day had seemed to cover everything with a shroud whilst simultaneously making everything bright and sharp. Sounds seemed both muffled and equally disruptive and disturbing.

The thought of not being with her stung like a knife. But the alternative was worse. The idea of being with her and always knowing that she withheld certain parts from him made his bones ache. Secrets were the same as lies, even through omission. They were like cancerous worms that burrowed into healthy flesh to poison it from within. Secrets always brought tears and heartbreak, and he'd had enough heartbreak to last him a lifetime.

Time flowed around him, unnoticed until it was too dark to see anymore. He spelled his hands clean of dirt, grabbed his things and started the slow walk back to the tower. The night promised a frost as the stars twinkled down at him. He remembered when he and Pansy had stargazed, and he wondered whether they would ever do it again. He looked up at the tower which lit up at the highest point, akin to a wand and the enchantment it was named after. Like a beacon of light in the darkness. He hoped that analogy range true when he returned to the common room.

He found his way to the bottom of the steps and let his tired legs carry him up. He wondered what Pansy's answer would be. Would it be that the secret was larger than him, or would he take priority? Another plus to working in the greenhouses meant that, even though he was sat for longer periods, he was still able to stay trim. Something he had become accustomed to. It also made his body ache and long for bed. Sometimes, if he went to bed exhausted, the nightmares seemed to have trouble cutting through the enervation. Sometimes.

The common room was once again jampacked with students cramming for preliminary tests before Christmas. Hermione was once again spread out on the floor surrounded by charts and tables and other complicated references. Blaise, Theo and Anthony were hunched over the coffee table, sharing a reference book. Pansy was nowhere to be seen.

He waved to his friends before trudging upstairs to shower and change, his bag feeling heavy as he climbed the stairs. His eyes travelled up the steps, absently before remembering his promise to the portrait. He cursed before turning to the picture for the boy's dorm.

"Are you well, young sir?" Neville looked at the painting and smiled. He nodded.

"Good evening Sir Patrick. I've been better, but physically, I'm well. I just remembered a promise I made to the other entrance portrait," He pointed up.

"Oh, You mean Lady Isadore Charbonneau?"

"I made a bargain that I would visit to talk with her for an hour a week."

"Ah, Yes, she does get lonely, that one. The poor artist died before he could finish her painting, you know." Neville nodded. "And what possessed you to make such a bargain, if I may be so bold as to ask?" The painting asked.

"I needed to see Pansy, so I bargained to gain entry,"

"Ah, a valiant quest to behold thine fair maiden?" He quoted with a smile.

"Something like that," Neville replied as he kicked the floor.

"Ah, Love is a smoke made with the fume of sighs," Said the portrait knowingly. "Don't worry, Young Longbottom. That fair maiden is besotted and would risk many a dragon to be with you."

"Thank you, Sir Patrick."

"My pleasure, Have a good evening." He replied as the portrait swung open.

Neville dragged his aching bones through and dumped his things onto his bed before sitting down. He looked at his hands, all cracked and rough. Even though he'd spelled them clean, he could still see the dirt under his fingernails.

He pushed his hand through his hair, hoping that the headache building behind his eyes would disappear. He had at least three essays to complete before bedtime.

It was no good, sitting and moping wouldn't help any. He grabbed his clothes and headed for the shower.

He returned from the great hall early, much to the surprise of the others. Pansy hadn't been at lunch either, and more questions had fired his way. He ignored them before retreating back to the common room.

He retrieved his books from the dorms and settled down at one of the tables in the kitchen. The peace was bliss for his pounding head. He had hoped that food would soothe his throbbing temples, but he had been wrong. He set to work, determined to get ahead again.

All too soon, the others returned and joined him to study. The room remained quiet, but the air turned thick as their concentration seemed to fill the air. It buzzed around him like a fly, irritating his already aggravated head.

He managed to outlast all but Hermione as one by one they disappeared to bed, but before long, even Hermione shut her book.

"Come on, Neville, It's late."

"I'll go up in a minute, I just want to get the conclusion down for our Charms essay."

"Alright, but don't stay up too late, you need to sleep."

Neville nodded in agreement as she disappeared. He slumped back in his chair and took in the silence around him. The air was finally empty and silent again. He stood up and stretched as he walked into the kitchen. He wasn't ready for sleep yet. He made himself a cup of tea before returning to the table.

He felt happy with what he'd written. His Potions essay on the uses of Zauberwurzel root, Yalluc & Alehoof had been a difficult one, but luckily with his passion for plants, he'd been able to produce something was proud of. His Charms essay was proving to be much more troublesome. He had to write about the mechanics behind non-verbal spells. If he could get the conclusion down, he could finally sleep. He reread what he'd written, and it sounded sufficient before adding his closing sentences.

He almost threw his quill down in relief once he was finished. He sat there in the empty common room and just luxuriated in the silence as he sipped his tea. He stood and moved closer to the fire, determined to finish his drink before going to bed. He lowered himself down into the plushy sofa as the warmth from the fire engulfed him.

He hadn't realised how cold he was. He knew that it was probably a bad idea to sit here. Falling asleep and spilling his hot tea was a distinct probability.

He pulled his leg up, resting his ankle on his knee as he let the heat soak into him. He lounged, watching the flames dance and lick the wood. He remembered the vision he had of he and Pansy sharing a night like this, curled up together. A blanket thrown over them as they shared each other's warmth. His mind wandered to all the things he'd read about that he would love to do with her. Stroll through museums in London. Eat street food at a market in Paris. Sprawl on a hot beach with very little on and nothing but the sound of the waves crashing around them.

He must have dozed off again. A few times, he caught himself with his eyes closed and jerked awake with a shock. How he hadn't scalded himself, he didn't know. After the sixth or seventh time, he knew he needed to get to bed.

He returned to the table and cleared everything away before collecting his things. He couldn't avoid looking at Pansy's gift and post at the bottom of his bag as he slid the books home. He wondered whether he was able to return it if Pansy chose the secret over him?

He considered what else he could do with it if not, as he finally climbed the stairs to the dorm. Sir Patrick smiled at him before opening the portrait. He yawned and waved thanks as he passed through and into the silence beyond. Wand in hand and Lumos cast he carefully walked to his bed.

He wasn't sure how long he had been downstairs for. However, Theo and Blaise were already dead to the world if Theo's snoring was anything to go by.

He pulled off his clothes and draped them over the top of his wardrobe. He was beyond caring how creased they got. Stood there naked in the tower, he shivered and reached for his pyjama bottoms, pulling them on before turning to his bed.

"Nox" he whispered as the light at the end of his wand snuffed out, leaving him in almost perfect black. Even the moon was absent in the sky outside the window as reached out to grab the drapes of his bed. He was just about to climb in when a noise caught his attention from within.

"Lumos" He whispered again as he held up the wand.

His heart gave a lurch as he saw creamy white flesh against the deep purple of his quilt. Her damp hair stuck to the apple of her cheek as she lay fast asleep. Her plump mouth was parted slightly, and Neville could hear her shallow breathing. He frowned as he studied her face. Her skin was swollen and blotchy around the eyes where she'd been crying. He watched her for a moment longer as her chest rose and fell in a steady rhythm.

"Nox," He muttered as he placed his wand on the nightstand. He lifted the bedcovers gently so as not to wake her. The bed was warm as he settled himself in, placing his hand on her waist and closing his eyes.

In the fleeting moments, before he fell asleep, he felt her shift as if sensing his proximity. Without waking, she cuddled up to him. In that single action, he knew that she had chosen him. He smiled as he held her close sharing her heat as he cocooned her within his embrace.


	53. Euphorbia

He lay floating for a while, not asleep but not awake either. Somewhere between where the only noises he could hear were his breathing and heartbeat. He felt relaxed and at peace in that space, but something seemed to press upon him.

More aware than he had been, he rose up towards consciousness. He felt as though he were on display and fought to open is eyes. They felt dry and sore as they focused on the room in front of him.

Pansy lay watching him, her face pressed to her hands as her head pinned them to the pillow. Her eyes looked like moondust in the dim light, and he didn't think he would ever find anything more wonderous or magical in the world. She watched him seriously as he blinked at her. He wanted to smile but knew that this wasn't the time.

"Hi," He said quietly.

"Hi," She replied.

"What time is it?" He asked as he stretched and yawned.

"I think it's about sixish," She replied. "What time did you come to bed?"

He shrugged before relaxing his muscles again and looking at her. "Late,"

Neville rolled over to face her as the tension between them rose. "I wasn't expecting you to be here," He admitted before another yawn tore through him. He knew he would live to regret his late night. "Did you have another nightmare?" He asked. He knew that they were both skirting around the subject, but he didn't want to dive straight in, and he sensed that neither did Pansy.

She shook her head as she looked away from him. She sat up, revealing that she was still wearing the clothes from the day before. He sat up too so that he could be there for her. "Look, about last night-"

"I'm sorry," She said, and he stopped.

"Ok?" He replied thrown off.

"For being a bitch yesterday."

"As I said, I know you were having a bad day, I'm sorry if I made it worse." He offered

"You did," She said as she threw him a look with a hint of humour "But not for the reason you think."

"Alright?" He waited for her to continue.

"I spoke to Theo and Blaise last night about it, and I realised I've been unreasonable." She looked down at her fingernails which looked rough and gnawed upon. "The secret isn't even anything major, probably not as earth-shattering as you're thinking. It's just painful to talk about." She sniffed and cleared her throat before carrying on.

"Theo and Blaise could tell me if that would be easier?" He asked. Pansy shook her head.

"It needs to come from me so that you understand everything. They'll miss things out, and you deserve to know everything." Neville remained quiet as he sat there, waiting for the moment where he could offer comfort. "To understand everything, I'll need to tell you more about my home life before Hogwarts."

Neville nodded and offered her his hand. She took it in both of hers before taking a deep breath.

"My father rules the family with an iron fist. Always has done, just like my grandfathers going all the way back. You've heard Theo and Blaise tell stories. They're not exaggerating. When my mother and father got married, it was arranged by the family. My mother was forced into it by pureblood law and rather than face the consequences she went along with it. So she's never really been invested in the family, or interested in me. I'm just a condition of the contract. I would say she hates me, but that would suggest she has strong feelings for me, which she doesn't." Pansy paused for a moment, and Neville could tell she was thinking about her mother.

"She never nursed me as a baby, held me, played with me. There were always people she could pay to save getting her hands dirty. My father's sister, Aunt Euphorbia would tend to me a lot of the time, take me out into the gardens and would let me help her tend to her roses, or would humour me and play tea parties. She was a stern woman, but she was wonderful. She was so much more of a mother to me than my actual mother was."

Neville nodded and squeezed her hands to offer his silent support.

"She married long ago, but her husband died soon after, and she had been a widow ever since." Pansy smiled and fought her quivering lips as she thought back fondly. "She was the one who taught me to be outspoken. To question everything, to put a brave face on it, and she was a master at it. Nothing could break through her walls unless she wanted it to."

She wiped at her face, pushing the fat tears away.

"She always told me that I controlled my own destiny. Unlike my mother. My mother is a drunk. She spends her days staring out of the window, sipping on her expensive gin waiting for her life to end."

"Pansy," Neville muttered.

"It's true, and she's been that way for as long as I can remember. But my story isn't about her. My Aunt Euphorbia." She smiled fondly at the memory of her. "She was so proud when I got into Hogwarts. Father wanted me to go to Beauxbatons, but she managed to talk him around. She convinced him that Draco would be a good match." She snorted. "Like I could have even competed with Potter."

They both chuckled, and Neville watched as she sniffed. Her face was so expressive, he could see every emotion flit over like sunlight through the trees. He waited for her to continue, but she sat quietly as she studied his hands in hers. When it didn't appear that she was going to continue, he opened his mouth to speak.

As if his intake of breath spurred her on, she started again. "She was always so full of life and vibrant. So formidable and resilient. But that summer, she had been distant and quiet as though a light had gone out. It was my thirteenth birthday, and the others had decorated the common room with banners and streamers as they always did for people. Birthdays are very important. We went to breakfast, and the owls flew in. I was so excited as I thought about all the cards and presents I would be getting. There had been nothing by my bed that morning, unlike the year before. I was a spoiled little rich girl, so of course, it was guaranteed that I would be getting the best things that I could brag about. So as the owls flew in, I watched expectantly waiting for the endless stream of gifts."

Neville watched as her lip trembled. He squeezed her hand again.

"I received just two letters," She said as she pulled at her sleeves.

Neville had a feeling he knew where this was going. He tried to pull her close, but she shook her head.

"Don't be nice to me; otherwise, I'll lose it."

Neville nodded and lowered his arm as she began to speak again.

"The first letter was from my Aunt. She wrote to me to tell me that she loved me. She was the only other person besides you to ever say that to me. She told me about her life, about a muggle-born boy she'd fallen in love with when she had been at Hogwarts. Turns out my Aunt intended to elope with him, but he never showed up. He gave up on her, and they never saw each other again. She was forced to marry the man her family had arranged for her. She told me that she was proud of me and to make my own destiny."

She took a deep, shaking breath, and Neville was impressed that she'd managed to get this far. He squeezed her hand as she recovered. She offered him a smile, her eyes still brimming with unshed tears. He wanted to tell her that she didn't have to tell him more. He wanted to tell her that it didn't matter, but he didn't. If they were going to be anything of great importance to each other in the future, he needed to know.

He could hear Terry and roger moving around in the room beyond and wast thankful that he'd left the silencing charm upon his bed. She looked around, he eyes wide with panic.

"They can't hear us, I put up a silencing charm," She looked relieved, before looking back down at her fingers. "Thank you for telling me."

"I'm not finished." She said with a sigh.

"I'm listening." He smiled encouragingly

"I got two letters, the first from my aunt, the second was from my father, informing me that she had taken her own life." She said quietly, her bottom lips trembled again. Neville sat there, his mind racing unable to think of anything useful to say. How did you approach such a topic of conversation? He didn't know, so he pulled her in close anyway hoping that this time, she would let him comfort her.

She trembled as she became submissive in his hands. He turned and pulled her pliant body down so that he could hold her.

"I'm sorry." He said pathetically.

She shook her head as she swallowed.

"Let it out, my love. Holding it in won't help," He whispered as she cried into his arms.

She shook as she sobbed silently into his chest. He could understand why that would put a dampener on any birthday celebrations. He wondered whether she had ever really cried about it, knowing that she could keep her emotions locked up. He soothed her as he stroked her back.

Her sobbing eventually slowed, but she didn't move. He stroked her hair as she looked up at him. Whatever makeup she had worn the day before had been wiped away. Still, he could see the remnants of some black smudges under her eyes as he thumbed away the tears.

"I'm so stupid," She muttered, "It's so stupid, It was years ago."

"It's the equivalent of your mom killing herself, I don't think that's stupid, or that you're stupid for feeling this way."

"I'm stupid for not telling you, I just always struggle on my birthday, I just can't talk about it. The thought of…" Pansy swallowed as the tears threatened to start again.

"I understand, and I'm sorry if I made things worse." She shook her head in response.

"I should have told you, but there's just so much my aunt put into that letter that reminds me of you. I almost felt that if I told you, you'd give up on me because you would see just what an emotional wreck I am."

"And now that I see how emotional you can be, I love you all the more. I told you! I'm not going anywhere!"

She smiled at him as he pushed the tears away again.

"You're so soppy, you cuddly Gryffindor!" She teased as she sniffed. He smiled and kissed her gently.

"So Happy unbirthday to you. Would you like a present just because?" He asked.

"As long as it's not a birthday present, I'll allow it. Getting presents on my birthday just seems so… callous after what happened. So please don't get me anything in future." He nodded as he blindly reached for his wand on the nightstand. He accio'd his bag and pulled it through the drapes after checking that the room was empty.

"It just means I'll have to spoil you more during the rest of the year and Christmas,"

"Don't mention Christmas!" Pansy snorted

"You don't have an aversion to that too, do you?"

"Only Christmases at home, they're just so… awkward,"

The sky was still dark outside, but the candles blazed within the room, He pulled out the box and handed it to her and cast the Lumos with his wand.

She sat up, her eyes glued to the box. She glanced up at Neville a nervous look in her eyes.

"What's wrong?"

"This isn't what it looks like, is it?" She asked as she eyed the small box. It took Neville a moment to realise what she meant. He laughed and pulled at his hair as he felt the embarrassment flush his cheeks.

"Pansy, when I ask you to marry me, it will be somewhere much more romantic than in my bed-chamber,"

She smiled and rolled her eyes before undoing the wrappings.

Before long, the box was exposed. Pansy swallowed and looked at him before looking back at the cube. She levered it open and stared. Neville watched her face as he tried to gauge her reaction.

"Oh, Neville! It's beautiful." She said as she pulled it out of the box. The round, faceted gemstone was encased in a simple silver setting linked onto a delicate chain. The purple gem glinted in the light. "What is it? Is it Amethyst?" She asked as she admired it, watching the faces catch the light.

"Nope" He grinned

"Iolite?" She wondered again before changing her mind. "No, Iolite's bluer. So, Tourmaline?"

He shook his head again.

"Tell me," She demanded excitedly.

"It's Alexandrite." Pansy frowned,

"I've not heard of that," She admitted.

"I hadn't either. It changes colour too, naturally." He smiled.

"Really?" She asked as she held it out to him.

"Yeah, In candlelight it's purple and in daylight its green."

"It's pretty, and it's just my colour." She smiled.

"Would you like to wear it?" He asked as he offered her his hand. She nodded and handed it to him before turning away and holding her hair up. He hadn't noticed how long her hair had gotten since they'd first met.

Leaning forward, he wrapped his arms around her as he placed the pendant on her chest. He fixed the clasp together and placed a kiss against the soft flesh. She shivered as she turned and looked down, playing with the stone between her thumb and finger.

"How do I look?" She asked as she sat up straight and pushed her chest out. He hummed at the sight, and slowly leant forward to kiss her neck.

She moaned as he nibbled her collarbone. She pushed her fingers into his hair and tightened her grip as she held him there.

"We're going to be late for breakfast." She muttered

"I'm not hungry, and anyway, I still need a shower." He muttered, unable to hide the grin against her neck.

"That's a strange coincidence," She sighed as he gripped her breast.

"Shall we do the reasonable thing and save water?" He asked. The thought of having her naked and soapy stirred him awake.

"I'd love to, But no fucking, remember?" She whispered.

"Are you telling me or reminding yourself?"

"Both," She groaned as he pinched her nipple through the clothes. "I want you so bad,"

"I want you too,"

"We better not because I don't trust myself."

"You don't trust me?" Neville asked with a smirk as he pulled away.

"No, I trust you, but I can't promise I won't ask. I'm so ready." She shivered as she opened her eyes. Her irises were like deep plunge pools that pulled you in. "And you are nothing if not a people pleaser, Darling. I'm sure if I asked you in the heat of the moment, you'd do everything to make me happy." She smirked

Neville opened his mouth to argue but realised it was true. If he had her slicked up and desperate in the shower, even his willpower would be tested. He would save that image for himself in the shower. She leant forward and kissed him, wrapping her arms around his neck as she held him securely.

"Thank you," She whispered against his lips before kissing him again.

"Happy unbirthday," He muttered back.


	54. The Wager

That weekend brought a thick covering of snow as they all trudged down to the Quidditch pitch. Everyone was in good spirits as the old rivalries reared up in good-natured jibes. The Snakes joked about the lions and vice versa. However, the only thing they all agreed on was that Harry and Draco were made for each other.

"Draco was completely oblivious, only had eyes for perfect Potter and his messy hair." Pansy mimicked as she cuddled close to Neville.

"In his defence, Potter did look great in those white trousers before they changed the uniform," Theo argued.

"Don't defend him!" Pansy smirked with a chuckle.

Neville remained quiet as he just listened. He loved to hear the banter between them all and enjoyed hearing Pansy chuckle the most.

Something caught him full in the face stunning him to a complete stop. His breath caught in his throat as the icy cold of the snowball chilled his skin.

"You cheeky bastard!" He cursed when he looked up to see Blaise and Hermione laughing from upfront.

"Wasn't me," Blaise choked as he tried to breath through the laughter. He pointed to Hermione who smirked

"Right!" He said as he released Pansy to gather up a snowball.

"You get her, I'll get him," She whispered, and he nodded before firing off the Snowball. Hermione shrieked before lifting her foot to dodge the projectile.

"Thought you could throw better than that, Longbot-" Blaise teased before Pansy's snowball hit him right in the mouth.

"Bitch!" He laughed as everyone scrambled to get more balls made up.

Before long, the other students were in on it, causing a riotous mass where no one was safe.

"Neville!" Pansy shrieked in warning as another one caught him in the shoulder. He looked around and found Theo trying to hide behind a tree.

"I've got him," Neville grinned as he crouched down.

"Ooh, are you cheating?" Pansy giggled as she crouched beside him. Neville pulled his wand and flicked it at the tree, causing the snow on the branches to land on Theo's head.

"Hey! That's not fair!" Theo called through the chorus of laughing children. "Cheating bloody Gryffindors!" He muttered before getting hit with several snowballs from nearby insulted Gryffindor students.

Neville and Pansy laughed deeply as they stood up. She looked at him and wiped the snow from his face tenderly. He could bearly feel her gloved fingers against his numb cheek.

Another snowball soared through the air and caught Pansy in the back of the head.

"Hey!" She shouted.

Hermione was quick to turn around as they all began walking again, the snowball fight now over. Neville laughed as he took her gloved hand back.

"Stop plotting your revenge, I'll get her. I owe her one." Neville muttered before kissing her head.

"How very Slytherin of you," She whispered before they started to climb the stairs to the stands. "I do believe I'm rubbing off on you," He rolled his eyes with a smirk.

The wind was harsh and cutting up on the stands, and even the warming charms didn't seem to keep the chill out. Neville could see Pansy stood in her jacket and knew that there was no way she was warm enough. He unzipped his coat and pulled her in front of him before wrapping the coat around them both. She hummed in contentment as he kissed her cheek.

Her cheeks were rosy from the cold as was the tip of her nose. He smiled to himself as they shared their warmth and waited for the game to begin.

They'd bearly seen Ginny in the last week as every spare moment outside classes had been dedicated to Quidditch. In the rare moments that she was around, all she could talk about were strategies and plays. Her level of dedication and passion reminded him of Oliver Wood. He hoped for her sake that Gryffindor won this match.

A slight shift of weight and a strategic wiggle brought his thoughts back to Pansy. She stood against him where she smirked up at him, her perfectly arched eyebrow raised in a dare.

"Naughty," He whispered as he gripped onto the bar in front, he used it to pin her closer, she made a noise before pushing her backside against him again, playfully. He leant forward and nibbled her ear "You are such a cock tease!"

"Who said anything about teasing?" She asked innocently as she tilted her head as though she were talking about the weather.

"Oh, and what did you have in mind?"

"How about a wager?"

"Hmm," he murmured, "I'm sure someone warned me about gambling with Slytherin's."

"And normally I would agree wholeheartedly. However, I believe that this proposition might be in your interests," She said, slowly batting her eyelashes at him.

"I guess I had better hear the terms of this wager before I agree. That would be the Slytherin thing to do, correct?" She nodded.

"You could do the Gryffindor thing if you like, and jump into it blindly. However, I wouldn't usually advise it."

"Let's hear your terms," Neville said as he kissed down the lob of her ear.

They were lucky as the wind tore around them, meaning that they had some privacy from being overheard. Neville glanced around in curiosity. Hermione and Blaise were huddled against the high stalls as they talked and kissed, Theo and Luna, chatted animatedly.

"Well, I propose that we have a wager depending on who wins."

"I'm listening?" He urged her on.

"If Slytherin win then, I get to either do or request something I want, and the same goes if Gryffindor win, you get to choose,"

He thought about taking her in the shower, and his cock twitched, she chuckled as she wiggled her bottom again.

"Does someone like the thought of that?"

"Maybe" He tried to think of any way that this could go badly and struggled to see any downsides.

"Obviously, there are some ground rules. The main one is still in play," She added with a huff, "We can discuss the formalities later, What do you say?" She asked as she turned to him. The movement against his growing erection made him close his eyes for a moment.

"You're on, Parkinson! You better hope Slytherin win, cause the things I'm going to do to you…" He let the comment trail off as he watched her pupils dilate. She licked her lips and smiled.

"Same goes, Longbottom. If Slytherin win, I'll have you begging." She offered back. His mouth went dry at the promise. He almost wanted to cheer on Slytherin, but Ginny would never forgive him.

People started to cheer around them as the players entered the pitch. Pansy shared a long and intense glance with him before offering him her hand.

"May the best girl win," She smirked as they shook hands.

Neville rolled his eyes with a smirk as she turned around to face the pitch, her hip rubbing the length of him again as she wiggled her bottom against him.

His mind wandered to all the things he would like to do to her and then to all the things he would like her to do to him. He took a deep, shuddering breath before his eyes focused back on the game.

It was a tense game, made even more exciting at the thought of the wager. Hearst, one of the Slytherin beaters, managed to unseat the Gryffindor keeper. However, he managed to climb back up and save the shot. The Gryffindor seeker zoomed off about twenty minutes in as though he had spotted the snitch. Still, after the sudden flurry of activity, he stopped again.

"Come on, Davies! Get that Quaffle in!" Pansy called, bouncing against him.

He tightened his hands on the bannister again as he ground into her rump. She smirked smugly as she glanced back at him. "Gryffindor hasn't won yet! You'll have to wait!" She hummed to him as she pressed her back against his chest.

"Come on, Gin!" Neville mumbled as Ginny took control of the quaffle. There was a mad dash as Ginny dodged two of the Slytherin Chasers causing them to collide. There was a cheer as Ginny sent the ball straight through the left hoop. He heard Blaise groan to his left as Pansy pushed back into him.

"A lucky shot," She teased.

"Starting to regret the wager, are we?" Neville teased back. Pansy shook her head as she cuddled back into him.

"Not on your nelly!" She replied feistily.

"I wouldn't put it passed you to cheat," Neville whispered. "Is there some sort of loophole in your wording that means I'm going to lose anyway?"

"Darling!" She exclaimed, drawing looks from the people closest. "I am shocked and appalled at the allegation. Who knew that you thought so low of me." She couldn't help the smile pulling at her lips. "And no, you were very careful," she winked. "I'm proud of you!" He hugged her tightly and kissed her offered cheek. The praise, albeit in jest, warmed him to his boots. There had been so few people be proud of him that just hearing it from her was everything.

"If you're a good girl, I may let you win anyway." He whispered. He felt her shiver and smirked. He hoped he was having half the effect on her as she was on him.

"And if I'm naughty?" She asked innocently

"Then I might insist on it," He replied just as innocently.

"What are you playing at Kline?" Theo shouted at the Slytherin chaser, drawing Neville's attention back to the game.

"What do we do if it's a draw?" Neville asked idly.

"Toss a coin?" Pansy smirked. She shivered against him, and he realised that she'd forgotten her scarf. He peeled his off and wrapped it around her neck before pulling the collar up on his jacket. The cold air hit his throat like icy needles as he wrapped her up tightly. "Don't you need this?" She asked, and he shook his head.

"I'll be fine." He smiled. She cuddled into it and took a deep breath.

The crowd cheered again as the ball sailed through the nearest hoop. Theo and Blaise cheered, and Neville caught Hermione rolling her eyes.

"Looks like Donahue isn't quite over his aversion to the Quaffle." Theo chuckled.

"I think Elder caught him with a Bludger," Someone behind them mentioned. Some of the other eighth years had joined them as they gazed up at the dazed keeper.

"Sneaky tactics, if you ask me," Neville turned and caught Lisa's eye before she turned away.

Girls were completely crazy and obsessed. He remembered her huff at him, ignoring her over Pansy, and then her grumble in the common room. He internally rolled his eyes as he cuddled closer to Pansy, kissing the top of her ear as it poked out of his scarf.

"You know, I'm curious to see what the forfeit would be… if you win," He murmured into her ear. She turned to him, her skin so pale that the reddened cheeks and nose really stood out.

"If I told you, it would ruin the fun," She retorted "That would defeat the whole purpose." He shrugged

"It's the Gryffindor in me," He shrugged as he kissed her cheek again.

"Well, we'll just have to see what the final score is and then we can discuss it further," She paused for a moment, "I supposed that if Gryffindor won, you could always request me to do what I had planned anyway,"

"Yeah, that." He chuckled quietly as he pressed his cold nose to her cheek. "I quite like the idea of you being in charge," Pansy peered around at him and quirked her eyebrow with a smirk.

"Good to know," She replied before turning back to the match. Neville didn't pay too much attention to the rest of the game. He was too busy breathing in her scent as he cuddled into her warmth.

"Another underhanded move by Kline. Cheaters, the lot of them!" Lisa mumbled to Susan. He felt Pansy stiffen in his arms. He stroked her waist as a way to distract her, it seemed to work as she relaxed into him.

There were several other comments made by Lisa as the game dragged on. All about Slytherin's treachery and power-hungry nature and Neville could tell Pansy was starting to get more and more wound up. He didn't want there to be another argument with Pansy and any other eighth years. He adjusted his hand so that he could stroke her skin through her jumper before raising it to catch the tight, hard nipple. She jumped at the shock before turning to give him an accusatory look. He smiled as he continued to move his thumb. She sighed as she leant back against him.

She tilted her head up to kiss him. He kissed her gently as his hands continued their constant strum of her nipple. She bit his lip, drawing a smile to his lips.

"I'm torn," She muttered into his mouth as they broke away.

"Between?" He asked

"On the one hand, I want the victory to be Slytherin's because I have something in mind for you, but if what you're doing right now is a taster, it makes me want Gryffindor to win. Who knew you were such a naughty boy?" She laughed, and he grinned at her.

"No one, not even me. You just bring out that side of me, apparently." He replied as she turned her head out of the awkward angle.

"Just so you know, if Slytherin does win, my revenge will be immediate and torturous." She smirked.

"I'll take my chances. Just make sure you kiss me first. Lisa hates it." He whispered and felt her answering smile.

He couldn't help but grin himself as he pinched her, making her jump and then clear her throat. She had definitely rubbed off on him with the plotting and scheming, and he was sure he had calmed her down, no longer needing to overthink. If they could make this work, they could be unstoppable


	55. Safewords

Gryffindor won.

It was a close game, but Gryffindor's Rhodes beat Radcliff to the Snitch. Pansy pouted in fake sadness as she turned to him. Her eyes held a dangerous glint in them, and she pulled him down for a kiss. Their icy skin felt like such a strange contrast as their hot tongues met. He heard someone grumble about getting a room and felt Pansy smirk against his lips.

When they finally parted, Lisa, and the others were nowhere to be seen. They grinned at each other before descending the steps again.

"You know, I've always wanted to fool around outside," Pansy said suddenly as she looked at the Quidditch pitch within the wooden stadium. Neville frowned.

"Not right now, I hope? I'm freezing!" He asked.

"Fuck, No!" She snorted "we'd freeze our arses off, maybe in the summer though," She raised an eyebrow as a suggestive smile curved her plump red lips.

"We'll see," Neville smirked back. "So, the wager. You mentioned something about formalities to be discussed…" He grinned as they followed the rest of the crowd up, dawdling behind.

"Ah, yes. Firstly, I must congratulate you on your win. It was a close game." She smiled. "As far as the formalities go, it was down to the winner's discretion, times, places, activities, rules, safe words. The usual fare. As the winner, the choice is yours." Neville raised an eyebrow.

"Safe words?" he asked and noted how her smile widened.

"Yes, safe words." She nodded as she pretended to look at the scenery. Neville saw straight through it.

"Dare I ask what a safe word is and why you would need one?" He asked thoughtfully as they climbed back to the steps.

He would normally feel embarrassed asking such questions, especially around his other friends, but he knew that Pansy would explain with no judgement.

"A safeword is usually a random word that can be used to stop something from happening or continuing. So, for example. If we were doing something that involved roleplay, and I could be begging you to let me go. A safeword would be a way for you to know that the roleplay had to stop, but you could ignore my begging because that would be part of the fantasy."

"Right," He said as he ran it through his head. "And what would be a good safe word? What would you use?"

She thought about it for a moment and smiled. "Kneazle," She said before chuckling.

"Really?"

"Well, it''s not really a word that I would shout accidentally, is it?" she rolled her eyes.

"I guess not," He smiled "Or at least I hope not," They chuckled together.

He held Pansy's hand as they made it to the castle, his mind now filled with the idea of holding her down and having his wicked way. He wondered how to use his newfound prize to its best advantage.

The warm air surrounded them deliciously as the scent of hot chocolate filled the common room.

"That smells fucking divine!" She cursed as they made their way to the kitchen. A tray of mugs of foaming hot chocolate presented itself along with a plate of pumpkin pasties and cinnamon buns. Neville felt his stomach rumble at the scents as he grabbed a mug for Pansy and then himself.

They helped themselves to a pastie before heading to the sofa's where their friends sat. They were surprised to find that their window seat was once again vacant. They smiled as they scooched in and cuddled together as they happily tucked in.

"Slytherin was robbed!" Theo said sorrowfully.

"They were not, Just Rhodes was better than Radcliff," Blaise argued.

"Traitor," Pansy fired back playfully.

"You can shush! Did you even watch the match, you two?" Blaise smirked.

"I don't know what you mean," Pansy smirked back innocently before drinking some hot chocolate.

"Of course you don't" He shook his head. "Please be careful!" He urged seriously.

"Don't worry, I've not broken the rules."

"Good!" Blaise agreed.

"I don't know how Neville does it!" Theo shook his head. "Must have willpower made of steel,"

Neville blushed as eyes turned to him.

"Erm, excuse me! It's not just Neville that has amazing will power, thanks!" Pansy argued sharply. "It's damn hard!"

"I bet she says that a lot," Theo muttered, causing Blaise to choke on his chocolate.

Even Hermione laughed as she patted Blaise on the back. Neville rolled his eyes as he tried not to laugh.

"How rude!" Pansy smirked at Theo.

"I just meant that he should be hot under the collar at all times with a minx like you." He back-peddled.

"Of course you did," She nodded sarcastically. The conversation lulled as they all zoned out. The sound of the crackling fire creating a cosy atmosphere as others chatted in other parts of the common room. Neville could hear the wind howling outside as Pansy rested her head against his shoulder. He lifted his arm, and she scooted closer. He shivered as he hugged her closer before taking another sip of his hot chocolate.

Hermione pulled the blanket she was sitting in around herself more tightly. "Listen to that wind howl, it's making me colder just listening to it?"

"Well, it is winter," Theo pointed out.

"It'll be Christmas soon. What does everyone have planned?" Blaise asked as he pulled Hermione closer and rubbed her arms in a bid to warm her up.

"I'll be staying with the Weasley's until my parents get back from Australia," Hermione said quietly, and Neville could see the uncertainty in her eyes. Hermione was still trying to rebuild her relationship with her parents after altering their memories, and He knew it was difficult for her. "Neville will be there too, for Boxing day at least. You are still coming, aren't you?" She asked, turning her eyes to him. He nodded and smiled. He was looking forward to seeing everyone again.

"Well, I'll be dying of boredom in my room while I try and avoid the family," Theo groaned miserably.

"Same," Pansy admitted.

"Don't lie," Blaise responded as he turned to her, "You will be at the most prestigious party of the season for at least one of those days," Blaise smirked. "As will I, and then I'll be back home to see my mother in Florence,"

Pansy rolled her eyes and groaned. "Don't remind me,"

"Is that the Yule Masque?" Hermione asked "You've spoken about it before,"

Pansy nodded. "Yes, yet another excuse for my father to attract more rich and powerful clients. I hate it."

"You love it, really! You get to drink the champagne and dance the evening away. And you get to dress up and look rebelliously sexy to tease those withering, old mages," Pansy smirked.

"Actually, that bit is true… Last year I wore a dress so short that I think I may have caused several heart attacks."

"It was a scream. You should both come," Blaise said.

Pansy shook her head. "That, Blaise, is an appalling idea. I dread to think what my family would do if they found out that they had a blood traitor and a Muggle-born in their house." She shuddered. "They may even bring back muggle-baiting as a special treat." She shuddered

"It would be entertaining! Them being there, not the muggle-baiting! And it is a masque, after all, so no one would know."

"Not a good idea, Blaise. My family do not take kindly to rule-breaking, as you well know." Neville caught Theo's eye as he nodded too.

"Most strict pureblood families aren't. You heard about the Fawley girl!" Theo agreed.

"The Fawley girl?" Hermione asked.

"Rosamund Fawley, Ravenclaw a few years older than us. She was betrothed to Astor Selwyn but ran away before the wedding. She was cast down in Knockturn Alley last year. The Prophet said it was a stray killing curse during the Death Eater attacks. However, most people believe it was the family trying to recover their reputation." Theo explained.

"You mean it was an honour killing?" Hermione asked in shock. Theo and Pansy nodded. "That's utterly barbaric!" She exclaimed as she wrapped the blanket tighter around herself.

"It's not something that's done very often any more however not many people refuse a betrothal," Pansy shrugged. "But if you were to turn up at the masque I'm sure my father would make an exception." She warned.

"Depending on what you decide to wear, it might be worth it," Neville muttered low enough to Pansy to catch it. She looked at him in shock before grinning and laughing.

"An ankle-length bathrobe and fuzzy slippers at this rate…" Neville chuckled as he wrapped his hand around his hot chocolate.

"Worth it," He muttered again, and she playfully hit him almost spilling his chocolate.

"Look out, Longbottom!" Blaise laughed "She's got a mean right hook!"

They all laughed as the conversation continued onto other things. Neville turned his head to kiss Pansy's cheek. She was nodding and listening to Blaise tell an anecdote about his childhood in Italy.

"So… the wager," He whispered. She nodded as though to Blaises story, but he knew she'd heard him. "I want you to take the reigns and do what you had planned."

Pansy smiled before shooting a glance at him. She turned her head to kiss him back.

"And… what's your safeword?" Neville turned away and coughed as the suggestion caught him by surprise.

"You alright over there?" Theo asked as he pushed out of his chair. Neville nodded and cleared his throat.

"I'm fine, sorry," He muttered as he regained his composure. Pansy held her chocolate and smiled at him expectantly before taking a sip. She gazed at him with those stardust eyes and quirked eyebrow.

"Cherries," He murmured. She blinked and nodded as she looked down at her chocolate.

"Noted." She smirked as she turned back to the conversation. Neville felt his nerves jangle and vibrate in his body as he wondered what he had gotten himself into.


	56. Didn't See That Coming

December rolled around in a flurry of studying as the Christmas break neared. One morning a decorated tree appeared in the common room along with swathes of bunting draped from every beam. A menorah had appeared in the kitchen, which Anthony had explained to them. Hogwarts was nothing if not inclusive. Back in November, the common room had turned into a lightbox for Diwali just as the Gryffindor common room had when Parvati had attended.

Neville stood, watching the twinkling lights as he sipped his tea. Small parcels and golden birds decorated the branches as golden strands dangled and glinted in the light. He swallowed as his mind wandered. He both loved and loathed Christmas. It seemed to highlight just how much he was missing as he heard other peoples stories about their family get-togethers.

He wondered how his parents were doing in St Mungo's. He would have to write to the ward and ask them for updates about their progress, especially if his Gran wasn't going to write to him about them any more. He looked forward to going to see them. They always went at Christmas. He sighed and took another sip as he waited for the others to rise for the day.

Warm arms pushed around his waist, drawing him from his thoughts. He smiled as the arms tightened.

"Good morning," He said as he lifted his arm. Pansy slid around, his waist still in her embrace. He hooked his arm around her and pulled her in for a kiss.

"Morning, Handsome. Hermione will be down in a moment."

"Yeah Theo, Blaise and Anthony haven't surfaced yet."

"At least it means we've got some time to ourselves before breakfast." She replied with a warm smile.

He bent his head to kiss her again. A groan and a huff came from above them as footsteps disappeared back up the stairs. He glanced up, and Pansy snorted.

"Don't worry, that was just Lisa. Apparently, I need to let you down gently and stop playing with your heart. Because I'm not really in love with you." She said flatly. Neville raised his eyebrow in confusion before looking down at her again.

"Come again?"

"I don't really love you, I'm using you to further myself, and I need to stop playing with your emotions," She summarised.

"Right, and when do you intend to let me down gently?"

"I was thinking after breakfast but before our Hogsmeade visit as there's nothing more awkward than a date after a break-up, even if it is with friends."

"Ok, I'll prepare myself for the blow. Is there anything else I should know?"

Pansy pretended to think for a moment as he sipped his tea.

"Ah, yes. That Lisa is obviously the best choice, should you suddenly find yourself single and not hung up on me any more."

"Alright, I'll keep that in mind. Now are we doing a whole public argument or is it going to be a quiet word to one side?"

Again she pretended to think but struggled to keep the smile off her face. "A huge fight I think, We Slytherins love ourselves some drama."

"Ok, I'll do some vocal exercises in a moment so that I can project properly."

"Good, good." She grinned as he kissed her again.

"However, I see a small problem."

"Oh?" She asked, quirking her eyebrow. He leant closer and looked around in case they could be overheard. Pansy did the same before looking at him, a smile threatening her lips.

"You do love me, and my emotions are not the only things you play with." The laughter exploded out of her, full of joy. She covered her mouth as she looked at him, the humour bearly contained in her eyes.

"You, Mr Longbottom, are incorrigible and utterly inappropriate!" She bit her lower lip as she tried to capture the grin spreading across her face. "I approve."

He grinned back to her as he hugged her to him with his one arm.

They stood staring at the Christmas tree for a moment as the humour passed.

"I don't want to go home for Christmas," She mused quietly.

"Really?" He asked,

"I won't get to see your dorky face until next year!"

"How rude! I don't know why I put up with you. I'm going to use this in our break-up argument, by the way."

"And so you should!" She chuckled.

"I'll miss you too. Maybe we could meet up in Diagon Alley or something?" She shook her head and bit her lip again.

"Too risky, I always have a chaperone with me whenever I leave home."

"Damn," He said as his mind raced. He didn't think it would be easy to go the full two weeks without seeing her. "What about writing?"

She frowned, "That might raise my father's suspicions."

"You could always ask Malfoy whether he would mind sending them with his owl?" He suggested.

"That's not a bad idea." She nodded. "They recognise Thoth."

"Thoth? That Malfoy's owl?" She nodded

"He'll do nothing but bitch, but he'll do it, I'm sure."

"You might want to buy him some chocolate wands while we're in Hogsmeade, sweeten the deal," He smiled.

"I'm impressed at how much you're starting to think like a Slytherin," she smirked.

"I like that you think that it's all down to you," he winked.

"You were never this sneaky before!" She scoffed,

"Come on, I survived the whole of seventh year with Ginny and managed to cause enough mischief. That wasn't all Ginny y'know,"

"Well, consider me impressed and slightly turned on." She grinned.

Neville rolled his eyes and grinned back.

"Speaking of Draco, I've received some post from him. I haven't opened it yet,"

Neville nodded in interest. "You going to bring it with you?" He asked, and she nodded. "I hope its good news, especially after the year we've had,"

"True," She nodded.

"Get a room, you two!" Theo called as he and the others descended the stairs.

"We've got one, you're in it," They replied simultaneously.

"Oh no, they'll be finishing each other's sentences in no time." Blaise mocked as he held Hermione's hand.

Neville and Pansy laughed as he kissed then released her to return his mug to the kitchen.

"Why don't we skip breakfast and go an eat at Hurly's?" Pansy asked.

"Where?" Theo asked.

"The Noshery?" Hermione asked, surprised. "Ron used to rave about that place." She replied thoughtfully.

Pansy nodded. "Neville took me a few months ago, it was great."

"Sounds good," Blaise nodded as he looked at Theo.

"We'll have to grab Ginny and Luna from the great hall," Hermione said as she tugged on a loose strand of hair. They all nodded as they left the common room.

The journey down to Hogsmeade took longer than it had before as the path was filled with snow. There had been a large flurry during the early morning, and the snow still lay smooth and virginal as they attempted to clear the way. Neville stealthily pulled out his wand and flicked it, sending a snowball sailing at Hermione's head.

She shrieked. Neville and Pansy laughed as the others turned to see what the problem was.

"Neville!" She squealed, making it even funnier.

They all started another snowball fight as they continued down the path. There was another squeal as Luna fell over.

"Are you alright?" Ginny called.

"I'm quite well. I am making a snow angel."

Ginny rolled her eyes indulgently before firing the snowball in her hand at Theo.

Neville managed to dodge a few of them before pushing some down the back of Pansy's collar. She shrieked as she fought him off.

"That's it! I'm dumping you!" She cried with a laugh. Neville laughed as he pulled her close, pressing the snow into her back through her clothes.

"Oh, no! How will my dorky face survive?" He asked as she squirmed under his touch.

She hit him playfully as he released her to the sounds of the others laughing. Pansy laughed and turned before digging her hands deep into the snow. A large wedge of snow lifted in her hands, and Neville cringed as she dumped it over his head.

Neville stood there and shook his head. He deserved it as he stood with snow frozen to his hair and ice water melting down his neck.

They all laughed again as he shook himself off, sending snow dust off into the air around them.

"You're in for it now!" He growled playfully as he pounced at her. Pansy squealed as she fought to escape.

The others continued their fight as he chased after Pansy down the hill. She tripped and fell into the snowdrift with a giggle, he threw himself next to her, both panting with laughter.

"Kneazle!" She said as she held her hands up.

"Safewords? Already?" I'm surprised," He chuckled as he kissed her pink cheek.

"You win," she nodded,

"Until you've had time to plot out your revenge." He laughed, and she beamed in reply. "Are you alright? You tumbled hard,"

She nodded, and he helped her up.

"And here we have Mr and Mrs Snowman," Blaise smirked.

"Look at you both!" Hermione said with a roll of her eyes.

"Come on, I'm starving!" Ginny said as she pulled Luna down towards the pointy chimneys of Hogsmeade.

The town was just in the process of clearing the streets of snow as they stepped into the courtyard.

"So where is this charming noshery?" Theo said with obvious glee at the word.

"This way," Ginny said from upfront. They all followed as the no-frills frontage appeared with its generic pointed roof and tall thin chimney.

"It's not fancy at all, so you posers better prepare yourselves," Ginny smirked. Pansy snorted as Blaise and Theo looked at each other.

"Yeah, you posers!" She chuckled as she pushed through after Luna. Neville stood and held the door as everyone pushed in.

The inside remained unchanged as Ginny lead them to a larger booth towards the back. Neville watched as Theo and Blaise looked around as the bubbly white plaster and the terracotta tiled floor.

Neville nodded to the old lady behind the counter as they all pressed into the booth. Pansy waited for him before sitting. He smiled as her warm thigh pressed against his own. A couple of warming and drying charms had sorted out the snow.

"It doesn't smell exactly tempting," Theo whispered as he leant in to them all. Ginny and Neville shared a glance and shook their heads.

"Shush and just wait until you try the food," Pansy said as she cast a glance to Neville. "Oh and listen to the menu," She grinned as she flicked the menu at him. Neville waited as the Menu began to sing, he already knew what he wanted.

Theo quirked his eyebrow as Blaise chuckled.

"That's cool," the darker wizard said, "And you just talk to it and place your order?"

Ginny and Hermione nodded.

"Anyone know what they want?" Neville raised his hand as Theo passed him the pamphlet.

"All day breakfast with extra mushrooms and an orange juice, please." He said as he tossed the menu to Ginny.

"Make that two but with a milky coffee, please."

Pansy ordered avocado on toast again, Hermione ordered an omelette and Luna ordered chocolate spread on toast. The three remaining wizards looked at the menu before shrugging and matching Neville and Ginny's original order. The menu once again shot off towards the counter.

Blaise watched it go and chuckled "That was novel," echoing Pansy's sentiment from her first visit.

"The food is worth it!" Ginny responded.

"I hope so, the interior is certainly… unique." He added, assessing the inside of the café.

"They do the avocado to perfection," Pansy added.

"So you keep saying," Blaise smirked. "I don't understand your fascination with that horrible green mush!"

Pansy rolled her eyes before looking back to Neville. She nudged him slightly and smiled. He nudged her back as his own smile grew.

"Seriously, you two make my teeth hurt!" Ginny whined as she slumped over the table.

"Sorry?" Neville offered as he raised his eyebrow.

"It's alright, the rest of you are the same." She rolled her eyes. "You young lovers." They all laughed.

"You make me feel so old!" Hermione laughed. "I'm the oldest one here."

"But you look great for your age," Blaise flirted. Hermione rolled her eyes before smirking back at him.

Before she could answer, the food arrived putting an end to conversations as they all watched to see what Blaise, Theo and Anthony's reaction to the food would be.

They looked at their food appraisingly before diving in. After a few moments, they all moaned their delight as they continued to eat with gusto.

Once they were finished, Pansy pulled out the letter from Draco and ripped it open. Her eyes zoomed over the words as she sat back and sipped her coffee. She frowned and bit her lip as she continued to read. Neville put his cutlery down, he had suddenly lost his appetite.

He watched as her brow furrowed and her grip tightened onto the pages.

He put her hand on her knee, drawing her attention for a second before she looked back to the sheets. "Everything alright?"

She shook her head as she turned the page.

"Can I see?" Hermione asked as she held her hand out for the first sheet. Pansy gave it to her without looking, her eyes still glued to the words.

"What's going on?" Anthony asked from the far side of the table.

Neville shook his head and shrugged as he waited for an answer.

Pansy covered her mouth with her hand as she carried on reading.

"Dear God!" Hermione murmured, As she held out her hand for the next page. Pansy handed it over with a dazed expression on her face.

"Someone blew up the Daily Prophet." She whispered.


	57. An Emergency Apparition

"Come again?" Blaise muttered, as they all listened, poised for a response.

"Someone blew up the Daily Prophet!" Hermione repeated as she read the last page of Malfoy's letter.

"What?" Neville asked as Pansy gripped his hand n her leg.

"He said that since the Saga opened, vandalism has increased and sales have plummeted."

Pansy muttered as she looked at her coffee. "I feel sick," She said as she pushed her cup away in distaste.

"Vandalism and loss of sales is one thing. This is the willful destruction of property!" Blaise proclaimed, "That's no small thing."

"I've got to go and see him! The place will be heaving with Aurors, and he's worse around them than I am." She muttered as she indicated to Neville that she wanted to get out of the booth

"I'll come with you, I might be able to help," Neville offered as he straightened. Pansy looked at him for a moment. It looked like she was about to argue but decided not to.

"Are you sure that's wise?" Hermione asked as they all shuffled around in the booth. "You both turning up out of the blue may look suspicious,"

"Well, it's not like I had anything to do with it," Pansy snapped. She stopped, took a deep breath then smiled at Hermione as though to soften her words, "He's my best friend, I need to go."

Hermione sighed and nodded.

"I'll cover your food… just this once," Ginny added with a smirk, "You owe me!"

"Thanks, Gin," Neville threw back as Pansy started to walk out.

"You don't have to come with me," She said quietly, and he could hear the insecurity in her voice.

"Yes, I do." She smiled and took his hand, "Ready?" He asked. She took a deep, steadying breath and nodded. Neville pulled out his wand and disapparated them to Diagon Alley.

A loud pop drew the gaze of the Aurors as they picked through the rubble that scattered the streets. The scene was similar to what the Alley had been like during the war. Windows smashed with charred wooded door frames. Blown out plaster that littered the snowless floor like confetti. It looked like a war zone. Even the other buildings had been damaged, albeit not as much as the Prophet. The roof was missing as was most of the front wall. He hoped no one had been in or near the building when it blew up

He and Pansy appeared hand in hand as the closest Auror approached. Neville didn't recognise the Auror from any that had been to the school before. Her dark hair was pulled back in a tight ponytail that swished behind her. She looked like someone that had little to no sense of humour.

"Move along, please, You'll have to floo to one of the other shops if you need to get through," She announced politely before starting to turn around. It was clear she didn't expect any further discussion. She looked to be in her late twenties to early thirties. However, it was clear that she was an experienced officer going by the spell damage and scars he could see disappearing under her collar.

"Erm, excuse me, Officer?" Neville started as he pushed in front of Pansy. The Auror turned and frowned at him as she studied him with a hard stare. He didn't think he would ever want to be under such intense scrutiny. She didn't move to go, nor did she make a move to get any closer as she looked him up and down. "Is Mr Malfoy still here?"

"I am not at liberty to discuss who or what is here. Please move along."

"Please, Officer, My friend received a letter from Mr Malfoy, and she is worried about him. If we could just see him…"

"I said, move along." She cut him off before turning away. Pansy tried to step around him to say something, but Neville stopped her by pulling on her hand.

"If you start shouting and being sarcastic, then she definitely won't let us in," Neville muttered. Pansy pouted and nodded before crossing her arms over her chest.

"Fine!"

"Maybe if Ron or Harry are here we might be able to get in," Neville moved along the shimmering magical barrier that stopped them from getting closer. He could see people milling around the courtyard outside what had been the main office of the Prophet. He couldn't see anyone he recognised.

"I don't care what it looks like!" Came an angry retort. "I am the victim here!" the waspish voice continued. Neville stopped, looking for the source. It was unmistakable as Pansy moved up next to him at hearing it.

"Draco? Pansy shouted as she looked around for his voice.

"Pansy?" A flash of blond hair appeared from behind the gathering of Auror's "What do you think you are doing here? And what have you done to your fucking hair?" The pale wizard stood up and limped towards them. "Get back to school at once!"

Draco still looked willowy and tall, but he seemed to have shrunk as though the months in Azkaban still clung to him. As he neared, Neville could see that his cheeks were hollow and there was a greyness to his pallor. Covered in brick dust and blood, his uncharacteristicall causal clothes were ruined. Neville He glanced at Pansy, who didn't seem to notice.

"Shut up, Idiot! You don't tell someone that your flat and business blew up without expecting an emergency apparition!" Pansy looked at Neville and grinned smugly. He rolled his eyes. Shouting had apparently been the best way to get in.

"Nev? Neville Longbottom?" Neville's eyes moved from Malfoy to the Auror behind him in surprise.

"Yes, Officer?" He replied cautiously as the black-haired Auror approached.

"What are you doing here? I almost expected Parkinson to show up."

"Erm, I'm here with her. To help, Sir." He replied, confused by the familiarity that the Auror seemed to have towards him.

"Nev, it's me, Harry," The Auror whispered.

"Harry…Potter?" He asked uncertainly.

"Junior Auror Evans, They shouldn't be here" The female Auror interrupted.

"I understand, Auror Croft. I'll take full responsibility." The stern Auror rolled her eyes before walking away out of earshot.

"Auror Evans?" Neville asked. Malfoy snorted and rolled his eyes.

"Mr Evans here thinks that this cheap disguise and a different name will distract people enough to ignore him. Pathetic Pissing Potter!" Neville glanced at Pansy as he tried to subdue a snicker at the alliteration.

"I didn't recognise him," Neville admitted,

"Yes. Well, that's because you are a half-wit, Longbottom."

"Hey!" Pansy warned him, as she looked at Harry suspiciously.

"Potter?" She asked uncertainly.

Harry crossed his arms smugly as he looked at Malfoy.

"Oh, come on! It's obviously him!" Neville and Pansy frowned sceptically. "Look at the size of his head, It couldn't be anyone else!"

"I told you, Malfoy!"

"But why the name Evans?" Pansy asked.

"It's his mother's maiden name." Malfoy rolled his eyes. Neville glanced at Pansy as they tried to hide another smirk. Harry looked dumbfounded at Malfoy.

Neville could just about see Harry under the costume. He had dulled the colour of his eyes, and had either grown his facial hair or used an enchantment. If Neville hadn't been looking, then he wouldn't have given this ponytail-wearing, older-looking Auror a second glance.

"Enough of this. What happened, Draco?" Pansy asked, stepping forward before remembering the barrier.

"That's what I've been trying to find out, but Malfoy here doesn't want to talk to me," Harry said with an eye roll behind his glasses.

"It's not that I don't want to talk to you, it's that you keep asking me the same questions. I already told you everything."

Harry rolled his eyes and flicked open his notebook in what looked like a practised move. "You said, and I quote 'Fuck off, Golden boy,' and then "I see why the Weaslette decided to switch teams, your attention to detail is abysmal!" Harry pursed his lips in frustration as he looked at the pale wizard.

"What's your point? It's probably true!" Malfoy said defensively as he looked at his nails.

"Draco Malfoy, you tell me what happened or so help me, Salazar, I will tell Aunt Ciss!" Neville watched as Draco rolled his eyes and glared at her. "What happened?"

"Just because you can boss Longbottom around, doesn't mean it will work on me,"

"Boss Neville?" Harry asked, confused.

"I'll tell you later, mate" Neville added helplessly as Pansy and Malfoy glared at each other.

"Draco!" Pansy growled, "That's not the only dirt I have on you, so don't turn this into a shit flinging match because we both know I've had more practice!"

"Fine," He huffed. Neville could help but smile when he too pouted and crossed his arm in much the same way as Pansy had before. He wondered who had rubbed off on whom.

"What happened?"

"I was working in my office in my flat when I heard a noise, I went to the top of the stairs to investigate when the explosion forced me back into the wall." He looked away.

"And what time was this?" Harry asked as he made notes.

"About ten last night."

"And why was it not reported until this morning?"

"I got knocked out in the blast, I woke up in the rubble."

"Was there anyone else in the office?" Malfoy shook his head.

"My secretary left about an hour before, as far as I'm aware I was the only one on the premises," Draco added as he stared off into the distance.

"Your secretary, she have a name?"

"His name is Sebastian Rogers," He said, highlighting the gender of his secretary before drifting off.

"Apologies," Harry said as he cleared his throat. "And was it customary for Mr Rogers to stay until what? Nine o'clock in the evening?" He checked his notes before looking back to the blond.

Neville watched as Draco glanced at Harry before his gaze fell back onto Pansy. Pansy's gaze seemed to flit between the two men before Draco answered.

"Sometimes." He said hesitantly. Harry looked oblivious as he made notes in his book. There was a moment of silence as Draco pulled out a packet of cigarettes and pulled one out. He looked up as they all watched him. He silently offered them around, but Neville and Pansy shook their heads.

"Thanks," Harry said as he took one too. Draco then proceeded to pull out a Muggle cigarette lighter, much to Harry's surprise.

"Don't look at me like that, It's quicker than waving my wand about. You want the light or not?" Harry shrugged and leant forward. Neville watched as a slight flush dusted across Draco's pale skin at the proximity of Harry. He looked to Pansy who looked away to hide a grin. They're eyes met as they silently shared the knowledge that Draco did indeed have a huge crush on Harry Potter. Harry leant back and took a drag on the cigarette.

"When did you start smoking?" Neville asked.

"If Molly ever asks then I never started." He chuckled referring to the Weasley Matriarch. "I started over the summer, I figured I'd lived this long…" He tried to smile, but it didn't reach his eyes before he looked back down at his note pad. Neville could almost feel the hurt that surrounded him. The pain of losing people and to an extent losing himself. Neville sighed as he tried to stop his mind from wandering back to the war.

He heard noises behind him and turned. A crowd was starting to gather as they talked.

"Better hope that disguise of yours holds out… Evans!" Malfoy teased. The pain that surrounded Harry seemed to disappear with just those few words.

"Don't worry about me, Malfoy. I can handle myself," He took another drag of the cigarette before letting the smoke escape through his nostrils, reminding Neville of a dragon. "Now, I'm going to need a list of your employees or anyone that would remain behind after hours. Such as family members, friends, clients, partners…" Harry asked before his eyes glanced up to the blond and back down again.

"I don't believe that will be relevant," Draco replied edgily

"Well, I do." He remarked without any feeling.

"What's wrong, Potter? Have you missed me so much now that we're no longer at school, that you need to know whats going on in my life?" He asked as he waved the smoking stick around wildly.

Harry looked at the floor before looking back up to the other Aurors. He seemed to decide something before looking back at Malfoy. "Mr Malfoy, It is necessary to know who else was in the building with you as another body has been found in the rubble."

Draco froze and looked at Harry, his mouth gaping open.

"What… Excuse me? What did you say?" Malfoy stuttered, his voice nothing but a hoarse whisper.

"There was someone else in that building with you, and we need to know whether it was a friend or a foe. If there was nothing explosive on the property, how did it get there and why?"

Draco turned around and paced for a few steps before turning back to face them. He massaged his fingers with his temples, his eyes closed. Neville watched as his hands and bottom lip started to tremble as he fought to keep control. He knew the signs as Malfoy's chest had begun to expand and contract rapidly.

"Draco?" Pansy called. He didn't respond. "Potter, he's about to have an attack. Can I come in? I can help." Pansy offered, a hint of desperation in her voice.

Harry looked around and waved his wand in a slashing motion. The slit shimmered as they passed through before resealing itself.

Pansy almost ran to Malfoy as his breathing started to increase. Neville watched carefully as he went and stood next to Harry.

"So, you and Parkinson? Can't say I would have predicted that."

"Me neither, Ron wasn't impressed."

"No, I can imagine his reaction." Harry snorted. "How long?"

Neville thought back and counted. It was difficult to gauge with everything that had happened. "About three months, I think."

"Nice," He nodded, his eyes still glued on Malfoy.

"Was that true about there being a body?" Harry nodded before turning back to Neville.

"We're keeping it out of the news until we've identified the remains. Someone died in that building, and we don't know why yet."

"Could it be anything to do with the Saga? Apparently, Draco has been losing business since they opened and there's also been vandalism to the property."

"Really? Well, that's new information. That's a great shout, Nev! Thanks. We'll have to have a look at it. It may be that the body we have is the remains of the rigger. It may be that it was an employee working late. It may be a targeted attempt on either Malfoy's life or that of the victim." Harry took a final drag of his cigarette before throwing it down on the floor and grinding it into the cobbles with his boot.

He caught Neville's disapproving gaze. He smiled sheepishly before bending down and collecting it. He looked around for a bin before putting it in his pocket. "Sorry."

"I was trying to organise us all meeting up at the Brooms or something before Christmas if you're free at any point?" Neville offered.

"I don't know, Nev. I'm not sure I can go back there so soon."

"I understand, but if you did want to come along, it would be great to catch up!"

Harry smiled as he turned back to watch Malfoy.

"And I'm just an owl away if you ever need to talk," He added as the sensation of hopeless loss seemed to radiate from the shorter man again.

Pansy held his face as Malfoy stared into her face. Neville looked away. He knew that there was nothing to be jealous of, but seeing her in someone else's arms seemed to awaken every possessive and protective urge in him.

"Thanks, How is school going?" Neville pushed his hand through his hair as he let a long sigh leave him. "That good?" Harry laughed.

"I've had better years, I'm sure Ron can fill you in, he and Fearnsby had to visit last month,"

"I heard about that. I never would have pegged Cornfoot and Rivers as… y'know," Neville shook his head and shuddered

"I'm surprised you haven't told me to be careful yet," Neville added as he turned to look at Pansy. Her face was serious as she helped Malfoy breathe through his attack as the cigarette lay forgotten on the floor.

"Why would I do that?" He asked with a frown.

"Because of Pansy,"

"I'm going to sound old, and I know that we're the same age. However, in my experience, people do both great and terrible things for love without knowing beforehand what the consequences will be. So yes, it could all come crashing down about your feet, but at the same time, it could be the best thing you've ever done. Just obviously, make sure you're careful when things get… heated." He actually blushed, but Neville chose to ignore the comment. "I'm not ready to be an uncle, I'm already a godfather…"

Neville laughed and shook his head. "Such a wise, eighteen-year-old," Harry smirked.

"Right, it looks like Malfoy's recovered. You guys better get back to school, no doubt your workload is crippling?" Neville looked at Pansy and smirked.

"It's not too bad." The black-haired wizard shook his head, sending his ponytail swishing down his back.

"Malfoy, Are you alright?" Harry called. Neville looked up and saw Pansy holding his elbow as they spoke quietly. The blond looked up. His face was pinched and paler than before, making his red-tinged eye to look more vivid and angry.

"Who is it, Potter?" he asked, and his voice sounded weak.

"We don't know yet. It may have been the rigger, it may have been an employee, so I am going to need that list." Malfoy nodded as though all the fight had left him.

"Whatever you need, Potter."

"Now come on, let's get you to St Mungo's, You're still limping." Malfoy nodded again as Harry pushed his notepad back into his pocket and grabbed the blonds elbow. Neville wasn't sure that Malfoy had even noticed.

"See you soon, Evans," Neville called. Harry nodded and reopened the barrier whilst appearing to hold Malfoy upright. Once outside again, it resealed. "Are you alright?" He asked as he offered his hand to her.

"Not here, love." She said suspiciously. "Come on, I need a drink." Neville nodded as she led him towards the Fountain of Fair Fortune.


	58. Everlasting Do Hue

Neville had never been into the Fountain of Fair Fortune pub before but knew the story well. His Gran read him the Tales of Beadle the Bard when he was young, and the pub's namesake had always been his favourite tale. Growing up, he had related to the luckless knight in the story, hoping that he could find the well and gain the luck. It was probably only in the last couple of years he had realised that the fountain held no luck at all and that it was the support of someone that helped the knight realise he was worth something. His friends, and more recently, Pansy, played the part of Amata so flawlessly. It was only now, walking through into the timeworn pub, that he made the connection.

He glanced at his striking companion as they pushed into the purple-fronted building. He wondered whether any of her nanny's had ever read her that story. Probably not as it discussed the love between a witch and a muggle. He would have to show her some time.

The quiet hum of people talking hit them as they pressed forward into the warm interior. The decor was much the same as most other pubs at first glance, lots of heavy dark wood, brass and bottles everywhere. The Fountain was slightly different as the bar appeared to be made from cask barrels, the large iron collars, blackened with age. They walked up to the bar and waited for the barman who eyed them carefully.

"What'll you have?" He asked gruffly.

"Two, doubles of Dragon Barrell's please." Pansy requested without looking at him. "What do you want, Neville?"

"Was that other one not for me?" He asked with a frown. Pansy shook her head.

"I'll share yours. If that's ok?" He insisted, drawing her gaze. She couldn't hold it as she looked away again. He didn't want to make anything of it, but it was at times like this, he remembered the tales of her mother and her dependency on alcohol. He didn't want Pansy to follow in her footsteps, using drink as a crutch. She hesitated and then nodded.

The leathery barman handed them the glasses and Neville pulled out his wallet and paid. Pansy disappeared into a far corner where few eyes could see them.

Once Neville sat down, he noticed her glass was empty. He looked at her with surprise before pulling the other tumbler out of her reach.

"What's going on?" He asked.

"Nothing," She replied automatically. He looked at her with a frown as he raised his eyebrow. She took on look at him before snorting sardonically. "I know, I know. Don't look at me like that! It's a habit." She sighed as she watched him sip on the warm liquid. "I'm not used to having people to talk things through with." She pushed a stray turquoise thread behind her ear as she twisted the tumbler in her hands.

"Come on. Spill it," He insisted as he pulled out his wand and waved it, casting a Muffliato charm around them.

"What was that?" She asked.

"Stops anyone overhearing our conversation," She nodded, impressed before she continued.

"Alright!" She conceded. "you probably worked out most of it anyway."

"Pretend I'm as oblivious as Harry," Neville smirked as Pansy grinned at him.

"So we're on the same page, sort of." She let out a chuckle before it gave way to a sigh.

"Draco was telling the truth about what he was doing. However, His secretary, Mr Rogers, is slightly more than a secretary…if you follow…" she cringed

"So, he and Draco are intimate?" He asked, and Pansy nodded. "So?" he asked with a shrug.

"So… firstly, he obviously didn't want Potter to know, and secondly, he thinks that Rogers may be the victim from the rubble."

"But why? I thought Malfoy said he left over an hour before,"

"Draco guessed, but he couldn't be sure. He got caught up in his work and lost track of time."

"Well, I'm sure that's not going to go against Draco, especially if he didn't do it,"

"Problem is that he and Rogers had an argument before he stormed out, which is never favourable. He also thinks that the Aurors are out to get him, and in all honesty, some of them are. They'll find evidence to put him back in prison." She swallowed as she continued to fiddle with the glass. He pushed his hand out and covered hers. She smiled as she let go of the tumble and held his hand.

"Harry wouldn't do that, he might not particularly like Malfoy, but he would never let him rot in Azkaban for a crime he didn't commit. Harry's not like that!"

"I think Draco knows that, which is why he didn't start having a panic attack earlier. However, after hearing about the body, he doesn't think that Potter will believe he's innocent."

"Harry won't let things rest if there is even a shadow of a doubt where Malfoy is concerned. He's always been obsessed with him." Pansy nodded as she squeezed his hand. "Did he tell you what the argument was about?" Neville asked.

"Draco was breaking up with him."

"Why?" Neville took a sip of his drink, enjoying the warmth spread through him as the liquid touched his tongue.

"He said it wasn't working any more. Rogers was becoming unreliable both inside and outside of work. He'd started taking liberties with his job, throwing his weight around and just wasn't being as professional as he had before." Pansy sighed. "If you knew Draco at all, you'd know that if you're doing something as a profession, you do it professionally or not at all. Image is everything."

"So could it be that Rogers created the explosion? A final act of spite, maybe?" Neville shrugged "Its something that he should tell Harry,"

"I told him that, but you know Draco well enough that he always has to make things more difficult for himself,"

"What if I told him? Or you?"

"Oh no, I will only tell if there's no other choice." She shook her head.

"Harry is much more willing to go out of his way if people are honest with him."

He shook his head before taking another sip of his drink.

"If it wasn't Rogers though, who else could've done it?" Neville pondered.

"Only the obvious, I guess. McLaggen over the Saga? Or maybe one of it's devoted fans? That is depending on who or what was the intended target. This might just be the work of some Anti-Death Eater fanatics." She shrugged "The Aurors will have to work out why, before who."

"So what's going to happen with the Prophet now?" Neville asked, finishing his drink.

"He'll probably move everything to the Hogsmeade site until he can either repair or rebuild."

"Well, that's great, You'll be able to see him whenever you want," Neville offered optimistically, but Pansy shook her head.

"He's always too busy to hang out, I'm lucky that I get letters from him and I think that's mostly so that he can bitch and moan about Potter."

"We don't have to give him the chance to turn us down. We can just descend and demand that he come out for a drink at the Brooms."

Pansy laughed, "I can see his face now as you show up and tell him that you're taking him out for a drink. I don't know whether he would be outraged or speechless,"

"I didn't mean just me, I meant, if you wanted me to, I could come too so that I can get to know him better."

"I know you did," She said patting him on the hand, "However I think we should do it just to start a rumour at his workplace about him and his studmuffin man friend."

"Stud Muffin Man Friend?" Neville questioned with a dubious frown. "You certainly have a way with words, my love." He said "I would really like to kiss you,"

She looked at him and smiled sympathetically. "I really want to kiss you too but not here, We can't risk it. It's dangerous enough that we're both here together."

"Maybe with this hair, they won't recognise us?" He offered optimistically, making her laugh.

"Come on, There are a few things I could do with getting before we head back." He nodded and ended the Muffliato spell with a wave of his wand before they left the pub.

The air seemed colder outside despite them being several hundred miles south of Hogwarts. He noticed how she seemed to tense up against the cold. The thin jacket she wore was nowhere near thick enough or enchanted enough to withstand the wind.

"Do you want my scarf? You look like you're freezing," He offered as he peeled it off from around his neck, immediately feeling the frigid air against his skin.

"It's alright." She tried to argue, but he refused to listen.

"I bet you are a nightmare patient when you're sick, so consider this me being selfish by keeping you warm and well," He smirked.

She smirked as she rolled her eyes, letting him wrap the scarf around her neck. She snuggled into it with a contented sigh before breathing him in.

"I am not going to justify that remark with a response." She retorted as she pretended to be superior.

"Only because you know I'm right." He smirked as they continued to walk. She winked at him from over his scarf. She looked adorable, with only her eyes showing. He smiled "No one will recognise you now, most of your face is covered."

She nodded as her eyes crinkled up at the corners to indicate her smile. "So what did you need to get?"

"Well," She said as she pulled the scarf down to expose her plump lips. "I thought that while we were here, we could try and find that weed for you, I need to go into Scribbulus' and maybe Sugarplums. I'm in dire need of some Chocolate. But, we can have a look around some of the other shops too if you like, we have all day to ourselves, after all." She smiled before she replaced the scarf around her face.

"True," he smiled. He loved the fact that she hadn't forgotten that he still needed to get that weed. It was the little things like that that made him believe that she loved him. Those details were the things you couldn't fake.

"Maybe we should pop into Twilfitts and get you a new scarf," He winked.

"Twilfitts? For a Scarf? Are you made of Money? Madam Malkins would be just fine. However, I have no intention of giving yours back. Are you insane?" She snorted before she winked.

He desperately wanted to hold her hand but stuffed his hands in his pockets so that he wouldn't be tempted. She noticed and looked around as they walked towards Diagon alley.

She hooked her arm around his elbow as they continued down the street. He couldn't help the smile on his face as they continued to walk in silence.

There was still a crowd by the barrier as they passed. Neville stopped.

"What's wrong?" Pansy asked as she looked down towards the Prophet.

"Why don't we pop into Weasley's and see whether there's a cure for your hair? As sad as I would be to see it go, I don't want you getting into trouble with your family." She smiled at him and nodded as he pulled her off towards the purple and orange building.

The statue of one of the twins still stood, grinning happily as the rabbit disappeared and reappeared from under the hat. He pulled the door open and let Pansy in first before stepping in after her. The shop was the quietest he'd ever seen it, but then again he had never been in during term time before.

A familiar blond witch in a magenta uniform stood up a ladder off to one side as she pulled boxes off the shelves. He smiled back at Pansy before he headed in the blond's direction.

"I'm pretty sure the whole point of restocking shelves is that the stock goes on to it, not down from it." He called up the ladder. The witch jumped and looked down, before breaking into a large smile.

"Well if it isn't Peril Longbottom!" she grinned before jumping down. The boxes floating forgotten above them. The blond pounced on him and wrapped him up in a hug.

"Hey, Honesty!" he replied as he hugged her back. She released him slowly and looked him up and down.

"Damn, Peril! You're looking well! What did you do to your hair?" Neville laughed awkwardly

"You're looking great too, I'm loving the stockings! Green and red for the season?" She smiled and nodded. He looked behind him at Pansy before stepping back to introduce her.

"Verity this is Pansy, a friend from school. Pansy, this is Verity, She's George's number one around here."

"Pansy, what a lovely name! I love your hair," The blond witch gushed as she smiled warmly at Pansy. Neville looked around, but the shop appeared to be nearly empty.

"It's about the hair that we're here actually." He replied as he looked back at her. "We think it's a Weasley product that we were pranked with and we were wondering whether there's anything that can turn your hair back again?"

"Oooh, the Everlasting Do Hue. And the Peacock palette by the looks of the colours." She grimaced "I'd have to ask George." She turned around to look for him. Suddenly she looked uncomfortable. "Why did you want to go back to normal? You both pull it off so well!" She said, and it was clear she was trying to stall them.

"Is he having a bad day?" Neville asked sympathetically. Verity nodded awkwardly.

"He doesn't have many good days any more. His heart has gone." She replied. Neville frowned as he placed his hand on her shoulder.

"We won't disturb him, but would you mind seeing whether he would owl me with the information? If not, we're going to be in serious trouble with our families,"

Verity smirked and nodded. "I'll get him to owl you as soon as he can,"

"Thanks, you have a lovely Christmas if I don't see you before."

"And you, Peril! Lovely to meet you, Pansy." She smiled and waved as they made their way out of the shop.

Almost as soon as the door closed, Pansy grabbed his arm. He looked down at her and smirked.

"Are you alright?"

"She seemed very… friendly," Pansy said cooly.

"She is," Neville replied carefully.

"Too friendly, I wanted to beat her with her pink candy-coloured arms." She huffed.

"We're just friends, she used to deliver stock to Hogsmeade while the war was on so that we could fight back. We got to talking."

"I'm the only woman who gets to wrap my arms around you," She growled playfully.

"Agreed." He chuckled as she pulled the scarf up over her mouth and nose again. "Come on, lets head to Scribulus'. What do you need from there?"

"NEVILLE!" came a cry from behind them as they froze. Neville cringed and closed his eyes. He knew that voice and knew that the next few moments were going to be torture.


	59. Safe Passage

He felt Pansy turn around and look behind him as he felt the dread pool in his stomach. He knew exactly who she would see. A short, elderly woman with a large, ugly hat adorned with a stuffed vulture. Her hideous red handbag which was probably older than he was as he had never seen her with any other. Why today? Why did this have to happen now?

"Neville, What in Merlin's name have you done to your hair?" Came the gravelly squark. He turned around reluctantly to face her as he let Pansy's arm drop from his. He didn't want to let her go. She released him before putting more distance between them. He felt sick as he thought of the barrage she was going to witness as his Gran stood in front of him.

She seemed so much shorter and less forbearing as she stood before them, her arms crossed over her chest, the red handbag swinging freely. It was as though age had weighed her down, bending her back and crimping her bones. Neville opened his mouth to explain.

"And who's this hanging on your arm? Why do you both have the same ridiculous hair colour?" She seemed to be getting redder in the face the higher in pitch she rose. He tried again to explain but, as usual, she interrupted again. He felt like he was a child again asking for sweets before dinner.

"Why aren't you at school? We're not paying for you to skive off your lessons. You'll never amount to anything without those grades!"

Neville didn't even bother to reply this time as he waited for her to continue. The mermaid fountain behind her, verdigris and tarnished from the water seemed to glare at him as the water trickled around the enchanted, waving hair. "You answer me right now, my boy! Your parents would be so disappointed in you if they could see you now…" She shook her head with disappointment. Her grey hair was tight to her head in a complicated bun, mostly hidden by the hat.

He shook his head as he felt the world settle on his shoulders again. His Gran had a talent of knowing exactly what to say to bring him crashing down from the clouds. The thought of his parents being disappointed in him, hurt like a knife.

"I beg to differ, Mrs Longbottom!" Pansy said abruptly as she stepped closer, moving in-between them. He glanced at her in confusion and surprise as she pulled at the scarf to uncover her face. What in Merlin's name was she doing?

"Excuse me? Who do you think you are? I don't-"

"I'm Pansy Parkinson, and I am a very good friend of your grandson." She interrupted. The intrusion not going unnoticed by the older witch if her face was anything to go by. His grandmother looked like a bulldog licking piss off a thistle. Pansy continued "Perhaps, If you gave him a moment, instead of berating him in the middle of the street like a disobedient toddler. You would be able to hear his reasons, afford him the respect he deserves and treat him like the man he is."

"Parkinson? As in the Puddletown Parkinsons?" She asked, seeming to ignore the rest of what Pansy had said. Neville didn't think he had ever seen his Gran taken aback so suddenly.

"The very same," Pansy confirmed as she stood in front of Neville. "Lovely to meet you finally, Neville has told me so much about you." She said as she offered her hand to the elderly lady.

If Neville hadn't been so shocked himself, he's sure he would have laughed at the look that came over his grandmother's face. It was a cross between confusion, concern, and intrigue. It wasn't entirely friendly, but it wasn't hostile either. He thought back to his words as they had crept down to the kitchens. If a fight did break out, he wasn't sure who he should protect.

As he glanced between them, he wasn't sure he was any the wiser as they seemed to size each other up.

Eventually, Augusta Longbottom took Pansy's offered hand and shook it gently while she appraised her opponent.

"What is a Puddletown Parkinson doing befriending blood traitor 'scum'?" She asked bluntly. To her credit, Pansy didn't even flinch at the slur, nor at the accusation in her voice.

"Some may think of the Longbottom's as blood traitors, but I am personally not among them." She said as they released their grasp on each other. "And I hold your grandson in the highest regard."

"Oh, you do, do you? Well, Miss Parkinson. Neville doesn't come into his inheritance until either I am dead or he is married. Now, I know that the Parkinson's are said to be well to do. Still, I will not have anyone trying to swindle my grandson out of his birthright or his honour, no matter how high their regard for him is!"

"Are you saying? And please correct me if I'm mistaken. That Neville could only be of interest to me because of his money? That your grandson has no other redeeming features besides his Gringotts vault?" Pansy tilted her head slightly as if she was truly struggling with the concept. Neville swallowed, nervously waiting for what his Gran would utter next and secretly hoping it would be something affectionate or sentimental.

He had never felt abused or neglected as a child, lonely and accident-prone, but not unloved. It was only as he grew up and listened to stories from his friends about their families that he realised how much stricter and hard she was.

"I know my grandson's worth!" She argued as she fiddled with the hideous red handbag that she always wore, nervously.

"Then we are in agreement, he is worth more than his family's vault, of which I have no interest, and his honour could never be in doubt as he is noble and decent to a fault.

"Yes, yes. That still doesn't explain what you are doing out of school." She argued as she looked at Pansy.

"Neville came with me to see a friend."

"What about your lessons?"

"It's Saturday, and as we're legally adults, we are allowed to come and go as we please."

"But what about your studies?" She looked at Neville then, and her face seemed to soften. "You're working hard, aren't you?" she implored

Neville nodded.

"Your mother and father would be so upset if you mucked about and failed your exams." She said solemnly.

"I'm not, Gran. I'm doing really well, and Pansy has been helping me with Potions. Professor Slughorn has predicted an 'Exceeds Expectations', and Professor Sprout has said that I'm already performing at Outstanding level." Neville paused as he waited for her to interrupt again. "I'm doing really well, Gran. Honestly," He offered a smile as he hoped to convince her.

"I should think so with the number of plants invading your room." She grumbled as the conversation briskly switched "That bloody Mimbulus Mimbletonia of yours hasn't stopped crooning since you left. It's also too large for me to move it out into the greenhouse."

"I'll move it when I come home for the holidays," Neville assured her.

He watched as her Gran considered Pansy again.

"You never did tell me what you were doing here," She mentioned calmly.

"Pansy needed to see a friend and I came along for moral support."

"And why would you need moral support, Miss Parkinson?" Pansy looked at Neville, and he didn't know what to say.

"Her friend was involved in the explosion at the Daily Prophet, and she wanted to check that he was alright."

"Ah, yes. I heard about that, Nasty business. A damned inconvenience too. I can't get to the second-hand book shop. I enjoy having a mooch to see what bargains I can snatch up." She nodded thoughtfully. "Who's your friend?" She asked, and Neville wasn't fooled. His Gran was still digging for information.

"Draco Malfoy," Pansy answered.

"The Malfoy boy?" She asked sharply "The one who almost ended up in Azkaban?" She wondered, calmer than he expected.

"The very same," She replied, and he could hear the resignation in her voice as if she was expecting hostility.

"I've never been a fan of his father. He's a bad egg, and the boy looked to be heading the same way. However, you can see he's trying to redeem himself. Helping Mr Potter during the war." She nodded thoughtfully. "He's not done a bad job at the Prophet either. Much better than the tosh they've printed in the last few years." She paused again as she considered this. "Was he hurt?"

Neville glanced at her and could see the confusion and surprise in her beautiful grey eyes. She shook her head. "Not badly, Potter has taken him to St Mungo's to be checked over."

"Good. That young lad has potential. I do hope he's going to continue on?" She asked. And Pansy shrugged.

"I'm not sure. We weren't able to discuss it as the Aurors hadn't finished asking him questions,"

"Such a shame." She shook her head again. "I do hope he doesn't give up. I would hate to think what that ridiculous tabloid would do if it were able to corner the market,"

"The Saga?" Neville asked.

"Aptly named if you ask me. Norse Goddess or no. The paper is a sorry saga, dredging up the past hurts and stirring up distrust. It's disgraceful!" Augusta remarked, her mouth sneering with distaste. "Well, you two. I need to be off, Your great aunt Ursuline is coming for tea to discuss Christmas dinner. I expect your hair to be back to normal before you step off the Hogwarts express, else I will shave it all off."

She nodded at them before staring intently at Pansy. "And nice to meet you, Miss Parkinson. You had better be good to my boy; otherwise, we will fall out!" She narrowed her eyes at her before stepping up to Neville. She reached up and patted him on the cheek in a gentle slap. "Be good, and I'll see you in a few weeks so that I can feed you up. The elves are obviously slacking off. I'll write to Minerva and get that looked into." Neville blushed and smiled down at his Gran before bending and kissing the loose, thin skin at her cheek.

"Be careful with that one, my boy. Don't let the charm of a face hide the rot of a heart," She quoted with a sad smile as he pulled away.

He nodded and straightened as he resisted the urge to roll his eyes. He was fed up with people telling him to be careful of her when she was the surest thing in his life. She waved at them as she tottered off towards Carkitt Market.

Neville let out a breath of relief as she disappeared around the corner as he sagged against the mermaid fountain opposite.

"See, you didn't need to defend either of us in the end." Pansy murmured smugly as she perched herself on the fountain next to him. "I think the old gal likes me," She smirked.

"You might be right…" Neville breathed. He watched after her as her shrinking form disappeared into one of the shops.

"Are you alright?" She asked as she placed her hand on his as it rested on his thigh. He nodded and smiled.

"Thank you,"

"For what?"

"Defending me, no one's ever done that before,"

"Really?" He nodded again.

"My family usually agree with her,"

"Well, She'll think twice next time."

"I hope so. I hate it when she uses my parents,"

"Neville, look at me," Pansy said as she cupped his face. He looked up into her stardust eyes. "Your parents could never be disappointed in you. You are the epitome of goodness and nobility." She smiled warmly as he turned his head to kiss her palm.

"I love you!" He whispered loud enough for her to hear, and she smiled as she replaced her scarf.

"Tu es l'amour de ma vie,"

"I didn't know you spoke French," Neville smiled.

"Of course I do, Longbottom." The only visible sign of her smirk was a raised eyebrow. "I'm fluent in several languages, It's one of the things that makes me so desirable,"

"I admit, I love hearing you speak French, what did you say?"

"One day, I might tell you," her cheeks blushed above the line of his scarf as she released his face and stood up. "Now, shall we?"

He nodded as he offered her his arm again. She took it as they stepped away from the fountain. "Oh, Hang on." She said as she released him and shoved her hand into her pocket. She pulled out a couple of sickles. She gave him one and kept one for himself. "One of my governesses once said that if the mermaid saw you, then you had to leave an offering, if you didn't, The mermaid would send a storm your way. If you leave an offering, you may make a wish, and the mermaid may grant you safe passage." She smiled.

Neville smiled at her wryly but nodded. There was a plaque on the front of the fountain's base that said all coins were donated to St Mungo's. He couldn't argue with that. He watched as she closed her eyes as she held the coin near her mouth. She waited a moment before blowing on the sickle and throwing it into the water. They watched it glint and shimmer as it gently floated to the bottom.

"What did you wish for?" he asked. She smacked his arm playfully.

"You never say what your wish is or it will never come true!" She shook her head. "It's like you've never made a wish before,"

He shrugged. He hadn't really, his Gran had always told him that wishes were only granted in fairy tales. But looking into her suddenly innocent face, he thought that wishes probably did come true. "You haven't, have you?" she asked incredulously as she narrowed her eyes.

He shrugged shyly and shook his head.

"Come on, Stand in front of the well and close your eyes. Think of your wish, and be very careful what you wish for. Then blow on the coin and throw it in."

He grinned and closed his eyes, feeling slightly silly. He cracked his eyes open and looked at her before she smacked him again in the arm.

"Ok, ok," He chuckled. He thought about all the dreams he had for them and everything he could see them doing together. Suddenly a wish seemed like such a large responsibility, like an unbreakable vow. As if wishing for it would make it happen regardless if either of them ever changed their minds. Happiness. He would wish for that. If they both continued to find happiness with the other, then that was enough. He opened his eyes.

"Now blow on the coin to transfer your wish." She smiled. He did and then threw it into the fountain where it landed next to where hers.

She smiled at him warmly as she pushed her arm back into his, and settled the scarf back around her face.

"Come on, I have the sudden need to start spending all of your families inheritance…" She smirked as they headed towards Scribbulus's.


	60. Nocturnally Yours

Origami was all the rage within the halls of Hogwarts. Especially amongst the younger students. It was obvious that Scribulus's was the place to get the perfect parchment for such delicate structures if the Diagon Alley branch was anything to go by.

Brightly coloured squares of paper lined up the wall as you entered with every colour imaginable. They even sold booklets with instructions on how to make the little creatures. Neville vaguely remembered Malfoy making something similar in one of their classes. He also recalled that the bird was aimed at Harry. How long had the blond had a crush on Harry? He smirked and rolled his eyes inwardly as he stepped out of the way of someone trying to exit the shop.

Pansy had told him to stay put in the doorway as she delved further into the shops interior. Neville watched as people milled around, obviously Christmas shopping during the school holidays to avoid any rush. It suddenly occurred to him that he had no idea what to get Pansy for Christmas. She wore his pendant around her neck permanently, fiddling with it and smiling when she didn't think he was looking. He wondered whether some earrings would be a wise choice, knowing now that she did indeed have her ears pierced.

Would her parents suddenly notice if she returned home with new jewellery? He would have to cave and ask her. He wanted to get her something nice but also a present that she wanted and something that she would be able to either hide or pass off as an item she would buy herself. He pondered his options when the lady in question reappeared with a bag in tow.

"Are you alright?" She asked as she rubbed her hand up his arm.

"Yeah, I was just thinking," He replied.

"Oh, no! Be careful." She winked "Don't hurt yourself,"

"Cheeky," He grinned "What you been buying?"

"Christmas presents for family." She said simply before she exited the shop, pulling the scarf back up over her face as she peered down Knockturn Alley. She looked nervous as she made sure that the scarf was firmly in place.

"Are you alright?" He asked.

"Yeah, I was just wondering whether anyone from my family would be around today."

He nodded as he too glanced down the dark and narrow alley. "Looks clear," he said finally, seeing no one in the street.

"Hopefully." She glanced further down Diagon alley as the road tapered off towards some of the wizarding houses and flats. "Would you mind if we went this way? There's a shop I'd like to look at," She gazed at him slyly. He narrowed his eyes and nodded.

"Alright," He answered as she pulled him on. They passed a beard trimming company, and then Broomstix. The newest broom hanging in the window. The new Firebolt Supreme looking sleek and swift. He had never really trusted brooms after his first lesson, but he had zoomed about a couple of times on one of the brooms at the burrow. He had to admit that it was nice to be able to feel the wind in your hair. It certainly was preferable to flying by Thestral anyway.

They kept walking as they passed a couple of other shops. Finally, they came to a shop door, but the window had been blackened with a lace pattern swirling across the glass, prettily. A small sign in golden script hung over the door. "Nocturnally Yours" it stated.

"What kind of shop is this?" Neville asked as Pansy pushed in with a grin.

"You'll see."

A small bell chimed further in the shop as the door closed behind them. The first thing that struck him was the overwhelming amount of purple, then the smell of strawberries. As his eyes adjusted to the room, he felt the heat spread up his neck to his cheeks.

Pansy stood cheekily in front of him as she smirked. He cleared his throat as he looked around, not sure where to place his gaze. "You seemed so enamoured with my underwear that I thought that you should get a say in some new stuff." She stepped closer and took his hand. "How would you like that?"

He nodded as he swallowed. His eyes landed on a nearby mannequin, and the thought of Pansy wearing the set displayed made his trousers tight. "You know I know nothing about this stuff though, right?" He said, his voice not sounding as clear as he would have liked.

"I know, but I'm willing to teach you. Also, the idea of us both knowing what I'm wearing under my uniform should keep us on our toes." He groaned as his cock twitched involuntarily.

"You are such a tease…"

"Yes, well, you know what the safe word is. Cherries, right?" She purred as their eyes met. He swallowed again as she wiggled her eyebrows at him suggestively. She turned and started looking at the displays.

Neville had never realised just how many different types of women's underwear there was, let alone how good it all looked.

"What do you think of these?" She asked as she turned around, holding up a set of navy blue lace panties and a matching bralette. He knew that the navy would look dark juxtaposed against her creamy skin, like a full moon against a twilight sky.

"I really don't know why you're asking me, I know that you would look great in a potato sack. You're going to look stunning in everything in here!" He said, shaking his head in disbelief as his eyes darted from piece to piece.

"Gosh, ain't he a keeper?" Came a voice from beyond a curtain that Neville hadn't noticed. They both turned as a middle-aged woman emerged. The first thing Neville noticed was the bright and vibrant colours incorporated into her asymmetrical robes. Golden triangles and red dots on a royal blue background. So much more dynamic than he had ever seen at Hogwarts. Her skin was darker than Hermione's, closer to milk chocolate than latte, and seemed luminous within the darkened shop. Her hair was pulled back tight to her head, but then the curls exploded behind the hair tie.

Pansy smiled at her and nodded as she put her hand on her hip. She looked at him with a look crossed between affection and smug possession.

"Can I help with anything?" She was carrying some other sets on small hangers, that she placed before looking at them again. Her dark gaze interested and warm.

"I think we're alright for now, Thank you," Pansy smiled as she turned back to the racks.

"Well, I'll be in the back if you need anything else, or want anything… more adventurous," She winked at him, and he felt the blush that had been receding rush back with full force.

Pansy looked at him before looking at the other woman and smirked.

"I think we'll be through in a little while," Pansy muttered with a chuckle.

"I don't blame you!" The other witch said as she gave Neville an appraising glance before disappearing back through the curtain again.

Neville stood there looking between Pansy and the curtain. What had just happened? Pansy's smile deepened as she put the set back and stepped close to him and grabbed the hem of his open coat.

"Are you alright?" She cooed in the hushed shop.

"More adventurous?" He said, before clearing his throat.

"You know… kinky things. We can have a look if you like, I only wanted to look at the lingerie but…" She smirked as she pulled him down to her. Their chilled lips met, and Pansy took charge of the kiss. She pushed her free hand into his hair and tugged as she teased him with her tongue. He groaned as he pulled at her waist. She pulled away slowly and smiled at him. Her eyes narrowed as her smile widened, "Actually, I think I do need to pop back there for something."

He swallowed as he looked at her. Everything about her stirred him passionately. The thought of her getting something kinky to use with him made him groan. "Wh-what did you have in mind?" He stuttered.

"Would you like me to tell you? Or would you like it to be a surprise?" He shivered.

"Are you claiming your prize from our wager, finally?" She smiled as she shifted her weight from one foot to the other coyly.

"Looks like I am."

"Then surprise me." He swallowed nervously. "My fate is in your hands,"

She grinned and kissed him again before stepping back. "Once a Gryffindor…" She chuckled "Now, Underwear…" she said as she tapped her lip with her finger thoughtfully. She picked up a few sets before putting them back. She picked up a forest green lace bralette and nodded, before throwing a glance his way and smirking. The lace was so fine that it was virtually transparent. He swallowed again as he imagined her breasts encased and her dark, hard nipples visible and poking through. He looked away as he bit the inside of his mouth.

He looked around the rest of the room. There were styles of every description, from shorts to string and to bras larger than his head. Something purple caught his eye. He wandered off, leaving Pansy to look through the racks. A set hung on a frame showing a lace bra with a flower pattern on the material. It was a deep royal purple that it was almost black but seemed to gleam in the light. The detail that caught his attention was what appeared to be a collar. The choker was attached to a strip of lace that ran between the valley of the breasts. He licked his lips as he imagined Pansy wearing it. Seeing the collar above her white school shirt would drive him wild. He touched the material and felt the lace, knowing it would be soft but firm.

"Oh, that's rather nice," Pansy whispered from his shoulder, making him jump. She laughed as she rubbed his arm. "I knew you'd find something you liked in here."

"I stand by what I said, You would still look beautiful in a sack."

"Yes, but I wouldn't feel sexy in one. This is just as much for you as it is for me. It's important for women to feel sexy, regardless of whether she has someone interested in her or not. I like to feel sexy, you liking it is just a fortunate perk." She winked.

Neville shook his head and turned, pecking her cheek before whispering into her ear. "From what I remember, you also look sexy without anything on, so…"

It was her turn to blush slightly as she bit her lip at the memory.

"Keep talking like that, and I'll ask for a repeat just to boost my self-esteem." She grinned. "Either that or I'll just walk around without any on, see how you like that?"

He closed his eyes against the image of him sliding his hand up her thigh under her skirt during lessons, only to meet her hot soft lips. He groaned again as his cock throbbed. If she kept this up, it would be painfully obvious to everyone that he was interested in the idea.

"You make it so very hard for me to concentrate!"

Pansy grinned at him knowingly before looking away. "Grab that one, The look on your face makes me think that I need it in my size." Neville grinned as he picked the set off the rack.

He noticed she had a large collection gathered in her free hand as she headed towards the curtain. She turned to look at Neville "Are you ready?" Neville nodded.

He took a deep breath as he pushed through behind her. Once again, it took his eyes a moment to adjust as the walls and shelves were so full. Some things he recognised. Some things he didn't have words for. There was also more underwear, however with key parts missing. He held his breath as he looked around, feeling the blush rush up into his cheeks again.

"I visited this place once with Blaise," Pansy muttered as she too took in everything along the walls. "I still don't know what half the things are or do," She admitted.

"You and Blaise?" He asked, a slight stab of worry catching him off guard.

"Oh, no. Not like that!" She denied quickly as though it were an absurd notion. "He likes to keep a stock of certain things."

"Please, don't tell me any more. I don't think I'd be able to look Hermione in the eyes again."

Pansy frowned at him. "It always surprises me that as close as you all are, you're all such prudes and innocents." She shook her head "What did you guys talk about in the common rooms?"

"Homework mostly, and Harry always had major problems happening…" Neville muttered. His mouth was dry as his gaze fell on a shelf filled with what looked like torture devices. He wasn't sure he wanted to know what they did.

"I see you found your way through, and with a nice little collection of things I see." Said the shop owner as she appeared from what looked to be changing rooms. "Did you need to try anything on? or do you need any measurements taken?"

"I'd like all of these, but I will need to be measured, please?"

The woman took the collection from Pansy and then held her hand out to Neville.

"Oh, did you choose this one? Nice choice, The choker can also be accessorised." She winked as she pointed to a black velvet tray on the counter. Neville nodded as he handed the set over. "Now, you wait here, feel free to look around while I take some measurements,"

Pansy smiled at him before disappearing into the room towards the back. Neville stood alone surrounded by alien contraptions and strange costumes and wondered where to start. Maybe he could get her something from here for Christmas…


	61. Something In The Air

His eyes couldn't seem to settle on anything for long before something else attracted his gaze. A movement in the corner of his eye drew his attention, and when he turned, he almost wished he hadn't. A wall of magazines winked and flashed at him as both wizards and witches tried to woo him with their wares. He turned away quickly, not sure whether it was classed as cheating or not to gaze longer.

He decided to have a look at the tray that the shopkeeper had hinted at. The board was square and divided into about 30 sections, each showing a different charm that he imagined would sit at the centre where the lace joined the choker to the bra. There were a few pretty cabochons as well as a few faceted stones, but there were a few others that were small metal carvings. He leant closer to look at them as the shop keeper appeared from the far room.

"She's just trying out the sizes, I thought I'd come and check and see whether you needed any special help?"

Neville smiled as he looked around. The scent of Strawberries and roses seemed to be everywhere, and as soon as he got used to it, it would change subtly and remind him of its presence.

"I have so many questions but no idea where to even start," He said as he rubbed the back of his neck.

"Completely understandable. There are lots of things in here that you may never need or want to know about, so don't worry. Let's start here." She said as she stood behind the counter looking at the black tray. "These are all inanimate pretties that adorn the choker. However, what I didn't say in front of your lady friend is that there is an enchanted range too," Neville raised his eyebrows in interest.

"And what do they do?"

"So many good things." She chuckled. She pulled out another tray from the glass case below and placed it next to the other. "These ones can improve moods, add charisma, remove nervousness. You know, general day to day enhancements, which your lady may be interested in, however these…" She pulled out a third tray, followed by a box. "These ones are our best sellers."

"How come?" He asked as he looked at the range. They didn't look much different from the first box, simple and almost plain.

"These come with this." She whispered as she pushed the box forward. He frowned in interest and looked at the cube before taking it. He flipped it open to find a simple, silver signet ring. On the flat, there was a finely engraved cross. "The cross is the rune Gebo which represents partnership and honour." She explained as she pulled the ring out and putting it onto her finger. "By putting this ring on and giving the charm to your significant other, you create a bond, a link that can only be broken when one or both are removed." She pulled out one of the charms and placed it into his hand. "Watch and understand." She raised her hand with the ring on, and with her other hand, she tapped the surface and began to stroke the flat.

Neville jumped and looked down, as he felt a ghostly touch against his cock. There was nothing there. He looked up at the woman who smirked and took the ring off. He opened his mouth to speak, but she interrupted.

"If you were to wear this ring and her that charm, just think of what you could do…" She winked as she placed the ring back into the box. "The ring only works with skin on skin, so pushing your hands into your pockets will not activate the bond. There is also no distance restriction. The manufactures tested it between antipodal points, and it still worked, albeit slightly delayed."

"Antipodal?" Neville asked.

"The furthest point on a map. If you were to dig directly through to the other side of the world, it would still work, and you would also be in New Zealand." She smiled.

He raised his eyebrows in interest. "Do the different pendants do different things? Or are they just for decoration?"

"Mostly for preference. However, these ones." She pointed to the bottom row, "These ones can also vibrate." She grinned. "Which, between you and me, a girl can really appreciate,"

Neville wet his lips and nodded.

"How much are they?"

"25 Galleons," He nodded, it was a lot of money, but teasing her without touching her held some appeal.

"Can I see how the vibrating ones work?"

"Absolutely," She smiled as she took the charm in his hand and swapped it for one of the others. She put the ring back on and grinned. "Ready?" She asked teasingly. He smiled and nodded. "So, you tap it once to activate the touch again," Which she did, as he felt the ghostly caress against the head of his cock. "Then when you're ready to up the ante, you tap it twice." Suddenly it was like a gentle electric throbbed through him, touching every pleasurable nerve he owned, including some he hadn't realised he had, until now. She tapped it again, and the vibrations stopped. "Then, to stop. You tap once again."

He released the counter he hadn't realised he'd been gripping. "Are you alright?" She asked with a smirk. The scent of roses and vanilla surrounding him in a heady mix.

"Yeah, That was… erm… Intense," He said after clearing his throat. He glanced down an realised that he was close to fully hard. He looked up at the shopkeeper as a blush flooded his cheeks.

"Oh, Sweetie. Don't be embarrassed. It's normal to feel good. And believe me, I've seen worse." She winked as she started to put the trays back.

"Erm, I'll take it please," He muttered, and the woman smiled again.

"Do you want to choose the charm or do you want me to leave the board out? Your lady might want to choose for herself,"

"I'll take that one, please?" He said as he pointed to the twisted knot of silver. "I want it to be a surprise,"

"The love knot? A very good choice." She nodded as she pulled it out and gift wrapped it, leaving the ring and the charm separate. Neville breathed nervously as he pushed them into the inside pocket of his coat. He pulled out his wallet and handed over the money, hoping that Pansy didn't reappear and catch him.

Once the transaction was complete, the woman nodded "I'd better go and check to see that she's alright and that everything fits. Will you be alright?" She asked. He nodded as he let out a sigh of relief at being left alone.

His cock throbbed with the memory of that charm, and he longed to take himself in hand and relieve the tension. He leant against the counter as he looked for something to take his mind off it, but knew he would be unsuccessful. From the 'Wet and Wild Witches' magazine gesturing for him to open their pages to the crotchless costume's hanging on the far wall, there was no let-up in his imagination. The scent in the room seemed to change again to vanilla and cinnamon. He shook his head, hoping the aroma would ease.

Neville pushed away from the counter as he surveyed the far wall. There were packets and booklets, mostly how-to's and guides to certain act's. A sign sitting next to the stand advertised that they were free. Interested, he took a few of what could be relevant information and pushed them into his inside pocket before his eyes travelled along the shelf to the other items.

Phallic shafts in various colours and sizes filled the shelves in a strange display. The only thing he could establish from looking at them was that he was comfortable with the size of his own equipment.

He heard the curtain swish behind him as he turned. The woman smiled at him as she carried the pile of underwear towards the counter. Pansy entered the room behind her before making a beeline for him. She smiled at him as she threw his scarf around her neck, letting the two ends dangle down.

"You alright?" She asked as she stepped closer to him, pecking him on the cheek.

"Yeah," He answered guiltily as he glanced back to the counter and the pile of underwear that sat on the glass. "Do you think you have enough?" He asked teasingly.

"Why? Do you think I need more? What about some of these?" She said as she glanced over to the crotchless outfits. He shook his head. He didn't think he could take much more of this. He leant forward and kissed her cheek.

"I think I need to step outside," He whispered before pulling away.

"Are you sure you're alright?" Pansy asked.

"Overstimulated," He chuckled. "And you're not helping," he smirked. She looked down and bit her lip as she tried not to smile at the slowly wilting tent in his trousers.

"Alright, I'll just pay up, and I'll be out in a minute," She said as she kissed him on the cheek.

"Thank you," He said as he smiled at the woman behind the counter.

"You're welcome. If you need anything, just you owl," She said as she waved. Her warm smile following him out of the room.

Once out on the virtually empty street, he took a deep breath of the freezing air and leant against the wall. The cold air helped relieve some of the tension within his underwear. He closed his eyes and leant his head back against the wall as he waited, trying to keep the thoughts he had of Pansy at bay. He longed for her. The ache he felt for her seemed to fill every spare moment as he waited for her to appear. He thought about grabbing her and throwing her against the wall, highstreet shoppers be damned. He also considered renting a room at the Leaky just so she could model the underwear for him and he could surprise her with his gift.

The thought of her lying there without him touching her while she bucked and screamed almost made him hard again despite the frigid temperatures. He shivered but not from the cold. He had never felt so completely obsessed by anything before, even his plants had never consumed his thoughts as she did.

At the thought of his plants, he remembered that they needed to drop by Noltie's with the hope of trying to source that Bulger weed finally. He tried to concentrate on what his project was about, how he would phrase certain things; the differences and the similarities. Anything to take his mind from his base desires. The more of the chilled air he took in the clearer his head seemed to get, but his need for her lingered. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes as he pressed his head against the brickwork. It felt like he was waiting forever when she finally emerged, looking guilty.

"Sorry I was so lon-" Without thinking, he grabbed her and pushed her against the wall, pressing against her body with his own. She squeaked in surprise before he attacked her. He pressed his lips to her and claimed them, stopping her from uttering another word. She groaned appreciatively as her body reacted to his. After a few moments, she tapped his shoulder. He pulled away breathlessly, noting with satisfaction that her lips were red and swollen and her eyes looked slightly dazed. "The effects should have worn off you by now," she said curiously.

"Of what?" He asked as he started to kiss her cheek and then her jaw before reaching her neck. She groaned, and the noise seemed to reawaken his desires.

"Strawberries, aphrodisiacs in the air," she muttered as her fingers curled into his hair.  
He nodded as he pretended to know what she was talking about before pressing his teeth into the white flesh. Hearing her answering gasp only drove him on.

A distant part of himself, which seemed to be watching on remotely wondered whether he would do this normally? Whether he minded going all the way in a public high street, albeit a quiet end of it. He pushed away from her and stepped back, making sure she was out of his reach. Every curve of her body seemed to beg him back. He gripped his hands into fists as he planted himself firmly at a distance.

Pansy stood panting against the wall, her eyes, heavy as she tried to regain herself. Eventually, she blinked up at him.

"You have no idea how much I love it when spontaneous, dominant Neville appears." She smirked.

"Don't!" He warned as he fought to control his breathing. "Right now, I don't care how far we go. I want you right here."

A look passed over her face, as though she was considering it herself.

"Come on, eating helps," she said as she pushed away from the wall, smoothed her hair and skirt, and started to walk back towards the busier part of the alley. She didn't offer her hand, which was probably a wise move. Neville followed and watched how her skirt shifted against her backside. He wanted to smack it and make the pale skin underneath red and hot.

He shook himself again as he pinched the bridge of his nose. His desires seemed to have invaded his brain, even the ones he had never thought of before but made sense to him. He focused on his breathing and the thud of his footsteps as he followed Pansy through the market outside Gringotts.


	62. Slack

Pansy stopped at one of the street vendors and ordered before he reached her. The scent of roasted pork filled his nostrils and made his stomach growl. Pansy handed him a stuffed bread roll before grabbing one for herself and paying the man behind the counter.

He looked at his roll and felt his mouth water as he spotted roast pork, apple sauce and stuffing overflowing from the bun. He took a bite out of it and groaned at the taste as his other appetites seemed to fade into the distance. Before he'd realised, he was devouring the last bite. Pansy grinned at him as she picked at her own. He stood staring between her and the napkin in his hand as he tried to understand what had happened. He remembered everything, but it was as though it was through a mist. He frowned.

"Are you feeling… better?" She asked.

"Erm…" He answered "I'm not sure what happened,"

"Nala likes to play around with scents and how they affect people. She specifically enjoyed watching people cope with aphrodisiacs." She smirked and tilted her head. "And after that little display, I can understand the attraction."

"What?"

"The incense she uses, they heighten your senses and increase blood flow as well as lowering inhibitions."

"I didn't know,"

"There was a sign on the wall," Pansy slowly stepped closer as she looked into his face. "So am I safe now?"

"Safe?" He asked cautiously.

"You're not going to ravish me in the middle of Diagon alley, with all these people watching?"

Neville groaned and covered his face as a blush filled his face like lava. He remembered every sensation and feeling. "Shush, you're fine. And just for your information, I really enjoyed you grabbing me."

He split his fingers open so he could peer out at her. She was looking at her roll while biting her lip. He removed his hands and reached for her.

"Did I hurt your head?" He asked as he gripped his fingers in her loose scarf, pulling her closer. She raised her eyebrow and smirked.

"My head is fine," she moved her food out of the way as he pulled her in for a kiss. So much gentler than the one before, just a brush of lips before they separated.

"So what are you eating?" He asked as she pulled her bun closer.

"Brie and cranberry," She smiled. "Have you ever been to the Christmas market here before?"

Neville shook his head as he watched her fill with excitement, her shopping bags swinging from her elbow. He gently lifted them from her arm, and she smirked.

"No peeking!" she warned. He nodded with a roll of his eyes.

"I won't. Promise!" He said before she carried on.

"I used to beg to come here with my governess just to see the market stalls. It was so much bigger when I was a child, but then I guess there are lots of people rebuilding their lives this year." She said sadly as she looked around. "They used to have fair rides up and down the street and sweets and all sorts of amazing things. My governess would sometimes let me ride one of the ponies, even though she wasn't supposed to."

"How come?" Neville asked.

"Father wouldn't like it. Having fun and being a pureblood doesn't go hand in hand in his eyes." She said soberly. "That governess didn't last long before he found me a new one."

He reached out and stroked her arm, and she smiled.

"Do you ever wonder about your own children?" Neville asked, "I mean, would you bring them up, or would you hire someone?" He asked. He personally couldn't imagine having anyone else involved raising his own. Still, it also occurred to him that if he wanted a career, who would look after them?

"I'm not sure, I've never really thought about it," Pansy shrugged "Not in that way anyway as it's always been a given that it would be me. Me and some servants."

Neville nodded. "What's it like to have servants?"

"Boring. They're not allowed to talk to you except for asking whether something is needed. I used to try and trick them into speaking to me, but my father was too vengeful and observant to allow such fraternising."

"You'd love it at my Gran's house then. There's only the two of us unless family come around."

"Do you have a big family?"

"Erm, it's fairly large, but there are some members that aren't blood relations but really old friends."

"Sounds nice."

"It can be, it's certainly relaxed as they're all old. I used to hate it when I was growing up because all they wanted to do was sleep or read the paper." He frowned. It had been lonely being an only child.

"I hear old people are like that,"

"What about you?"

"Only myself and my parents."

He nodded "The Burrow is an amazing house, there's always something going on somewhere. Mrs Weasley cooks the best food, and Mr Weasley loves to show off his Muggle technology. Ron's brothers are brilliant too, each so different." Neville trailed off. "It's going to be strange this year,"

"How come?" She asked with a frown. "Because Fred won't be there."

"Oh shit, I forgot!" Pansy cursed, horrified. "How awful."

"Yeah, no one really talks about it, Ginny tries to keep everyone's spirits up, but she's not the same, none of them are."

She nodded as she looked at her roll again.

"Don't you want it?" he asked.

"I've lost my appetite," She said somberly.

"How come?"

"There's just never going to be any getting away from it, is there?"

"From what?" Neville asked as he gripped her hand.

"The war," She answered as she wrapped her food up in a napkin.

"No, there won't, but there will be growing and learning," Neville said as he took the food from her and threw it into a nearby bin. "We were kids. We still are kids. If that doesn't buy us some slack, I don't know what will!"

"Like you need slack," she muttered as she buried her face into his coat.

He laughed and leant away from her so he could see her face. She looked up. "We both know me better than that! I'm going to need plenty of slack!" He smiled as he poked her in her sides, knowing how ticklish she was.

"Stop," she laughed as her face broke out into a smile.

"I got the smile, that's all I wanted." He took her hand as he started to lead them out of the market. "Come on. Let me check Noltie's for the Bulgerwort, and we can go back to school." She nodded seriously. "And you can maybe model a couple of sets for me?" he hinted playfully. She smiled.

"Only if you tell me how pretty I am, for I am a vain and indulgent creature."

"I will tell you that until you are bored of hearing it, and even then I won't stop,"

She smiled and rolled her eyes. "So you think I'm pretty?" She asked, obviously fishing for compliments.

"No," He smirked and then laughed when she pouted and smacked him. "I think you are the most beautiful creature I have ever seen."

Mollified she smiled and squeezed his hand as they entered Noltie's

They trudged slowly up the walk back towards the school, their muscles tired and their bones weary. Neville was in high spirits as he was able to purchase the last of the Bulgetwort from Noltie's. It was in a sorry state, but it would do. They stopped off at the greenhouses to settle it before climbing the staircase of Lumos tower.

As was usual now, the common room was filled with people studying and doing homework. However, Blaise, Theo and Anthony were missing, leaving just Hermione on her own on one of the tables in the kitchen.

"Hey, where is everyone?" Neville asked as he pulled out a chair. Hermione looked up and shook her head.

"In the dorms, I think!" She sighed as she rested her head in her hands. "How was Malfoy?"

"Battered and bruised but otherwise unharmed, I think," Pansy said as Neville sat down. "I'm just going to put these in my room and get my work. I'll be right back." She said as she kissed Neville's temple. He smiled at her as she disappeared with the bags.

"Looks like she had fun," Hermione smiled as she eyed the shopping bags.

"We both did, actually, I managed to get the Bulgerwort, and I think I'm sorted now for everyone's Christmas presents." He slouched back as he yawned, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Really? Already?" Hermione asked as she frowned, she looked even more stressed. "I haven't even started mine yet,"

"Do you need any help?" Neville offered, "I don't mind running errands for you if you need anything," She smiled tiredly.

"I may have to take you up on that offer, thank you" She looked back down at her work. "How are you finding the workload?" She asked.

"I'm just about coping, but then you are taking extra lessons." She nodded as she rubbed her eyes.

"I sometimes wonder why I do it to myself," She muttered. She stopped and looked up, "Don't you ever tell Ron I said that!" They both laughed. Neville shook his head.

"Come on, Hermione, If anyone can do it, it's you. It'll all be worth it when we graduate."

"True," She nodded, "So, how are things with you and Pansy?"

"Really good," He said, and he couldn't help the smile that came to his lips.

"You are being careful, aren't you?"

"I've been meaning to talk to you about that actually," He said as he lowered his voice. He sat up and leant in so that others wouldn't hear.

"What's wrong?" She asked, and he could see the worry etched into her brow.

"Nothing, I just wanted to know whether you knew any protection spells? I know it may not happen, but I want to be prepared just in case."

"That's very wise of you, Neville. And girls love it when boys know the spells, it shows them that they take their safety seriously." Neville wasn't sure that's the first thing that women thought when men were prepared. If it were him, he'd think that it was premeditated and expected. But he did want to play things safe. "Not to mention, no one wants to know that they're expecting when it wasn't planned. Not at our age."

Hermione tried to show him wand movements, but when one of the other girls glanced over and smirked, he shook his head.

"Would you mind if we did this another time when we're not in public?" He asked.

Hermione looked around as if only just realising that there were others in the room. She nodded and smiled before putting her wand down.

"So what shops did you go into?"

Neville talked about the Christmas market and about the fountain of fair fortune. He wasn't sure whether he wanted to discuss Nocturnally Yours, so he kept his mouth shut.

Just as he was finishing, Pansy returned. She had changed into a pair of comfortable silk pyjamas which consisted of a vest top and loose bottoms. It occurred to him that it was possibly the first time he had ever seen her wear trousers. He wasn't sure whether he liked it on not. She brushed passed him in gently, and the scent of strawberries returned, mingled inextricably with her natural scent of cherries and violets. Whether it was the scent or whether it was just the association, he felt his cock begin to throb. Pansy looked at him and blinked coyly before sitting in the chair opposite.

"I like the pyjamas, Pans. Are they new?" Pansy nodded and smiled

"Yeah, I bought them today, I really loved the colour."

Neville watched as the dusty pink material clung to her, and the heated thoughts began again.

"I don't like it, I think you should go and take it off," Neville smirked playfully. Pansy looked at him, unsure whether he was serious or not. He offered a wink, and Pansy smirked.

"Neville!" Hermione chided "Don't be so crude! She looks lovely,"

"My vanity thanks you both," She said as she opened her books.

Neville felt a foot slide up his shin, drawing his eye to look at her. She was trying not to smirk as she looked at her books, but he knew otherwise. He pulled away and stood up after giving her a playful glare.

"I'm just going to get my books, I'll see what's going on with the others too." Pansy bit her lip as she tried not to smirk as he left them together.


	63. Stay Silent

By the time he reached the portrait hole, his senses were heightened, and his heartbeat pulsed in his ears. He knew that whatever was in that scent triggered him in ways he didn't fully understand. After the build-up from earlier without any sort of release, it was like it flooded back worse than before.

He could feel the sweat building up at the back of his neck as he pushed through into the dorms. Blaise looked up at him as he lounged on the bed.

"Hey, Nev." He said before turning his eyes back to his book. Neville raised his hand in greeting without saying anything. His mind was elsewhere.

He moved automatically to his bed and sat down on the edge as he tried to figure out what to do. The pulsing in his cock was both delicious and painful. He closed his eyes as he tried to ignore it, but the pulsing and his heartbeat thundered through his bones, making it impossible to ignore. He felt hot and sticky in his clothes, the need to remove them was almost overwhelming.

He needed to cool down. He stood and grabbed his towel as he almost ran to the showers, ignoring everyone between.

He stripped off his jeans, and boxers freeing his erection. He sighed as the cool air touched his skin before pulling off the rest of his clothes. He threw them at the sink, not caring if they got wet. He stepped into the shower and jumped slightly as the warm water started to fall onto his skin. The shower fall hitting the head of his swollen cock made him sigh as it sent tingles down his spine. He took his length in his hand as he started to move it up and down. The throbbing intensified as he played, but the pain that came with it had turned into anticipation. He knew he wouldn't last long.

He closed his eyes and imagined thrusting into Pansy as he hitched up her skirt, exposing her milky thighs. He imagined slapping her cheeks and hearing her yelp as he pounded into her. Lust-filled images of pinning her to the wall with her legs around his waist drove him to despair as he pushed himself closer to orgasm. He thrust into his waiting fist as he imagined sinking his teeth into her neck and leaving a mark there. Hearing her whimper and beg as he pounded them both towards release. Imagining her biting her lip as her brow furrowed, starlight eyes closed as she fell, had him gasping into the stream of water. The climax stole the strength in his legs as he bucked into his palm.

He leant against the wall feeling the cold tiles against his forehead as he waited for his sight to return and the spasms to pass. He let out a shaking breath as he tried to control the panting. If actual sex with Pansy was anywhere near as wild, then he could die a happy man. He hurriedly washed everywhere and shampooed his hair before stepping out.

His cock was now thankfully quiet and sated, and he could think again. He smiled at himself in the mirror. He would have to get her back for teasing him so mercilessly. His smile broadened as he remembered the gift in the inside of his coat pocket. All he needed to do was to wait for her to wear the underwear with the choker.

After putting on some other more comfortable clothes, including his newest, softest jumper, he returned downstairs, leaving Theo and Anthony snogging on a bed. Blaise had joined the table as he slid into the chair opposite Pansy.

"You were gone a while," Hermione added as she looked up from her Alchemy homework.

"I took a shower," He answered before turning his eyes to Pansy, who bit her lip and looked back down at her parchment. She stroked the feather of her quill against her neck as she tried to pretend she was thinking.

"Pansy was telling us about what she's bought today," Blaise said, a smirk growing at the corners of his lips.

"Yeah?" He answered simply, hoping to sound nonchalant.

"Yeah, you lucky boy!" He grinned as he reached out and punched his arm playfully.

Neville felt the heat of a blush start around his neck and hoped that it wasn't noticeable.

"I'm not the only one," He smiled as he opened his books and started to write.

"What do you mean?" Pansy asked as she fidgeted in her seat.

"Well, I managed to finish my Christmas shopping off today." His growing smile widened when he realised that she looked genuinely confused.

"But you only bought your plant," She said with a suspicious scowl.

Neville just smiled as he continued to write.

"You've done it now," Blaise smirked. "She's not going to let it rest until you tell her what you've bought her."

"Well, I'm not telling," He grinned. Hermione rolled her eyes as she smirked before continuing her work.

"That's just rude!" Pansy said with a pout, but Neville felt her foot rub against his shin again. He glanced up, and she smiled knowingly.

"So where did Theo and Anthony get to? Or don't I want to know?" Hermione asked. Blaise and Neville looked at each other before smiling.

"You don't want to know," They said in unison before they all tried to concentrate on their work.

Many hours seemed to pass as they sat there. Eventually, Neville stood up. His muscles were cramping, and he longed for sleep but knew that if he gave up now, he'd be behind his work tomorrow.

"Does anyone want a coffee?" He asked.

"I'll help," Pansy offered as she pushed herself up.

"Lifesaver!" Blaise exclaimed as he threw his quill down.

"Please, Nev!" Hermione sighed.

Neville held out his hand to Pansy as they walked around the kitchen's breakfast bar. He released her when they reached the kettle. As she normally did, she jumped up to sit on the counter next to him.

"So, did you have a nice shower?" She asked as she grinned. She bit her lips as her eyes met his.

"That was mean, teasing me by wearing that scent!" He said as he tried to hide his own grin.

"Did you have fun?" He blushed and nodded as he focused on getting the cups out of the cupboard. "I'd have loved to watch," He stopped and looked at her with surprise.

"Watch?" He asked quietly as he looked around.

"Yes, watch. I'd love to see you enjoying yourself."

"I'd love to watch you too," He admitted as he dropped the tea bags in.

"Maybe we should…" She paused as she swung her legs, considering her words. "watch each other?" she suggested.

"Maybe," He agreed,

"No touching each other, just watching until we both climax," She confirmed.

"Miss Parkinson, has anyone ever told you that you're a cock tease?" He whispered as he leant over and kissed her.

"Maybe once or twice," She grinned before closing her eyes.

"Are you alright?" He asked as he waited for the water to boil. She nodded before meeting his gaze.

"You already got off, I haven't yet, and I'm so desperate!" She growled "And that fucking scent is driving me crazy," She moaned softly as she wiggled her hips against the counter. Now that she mentioned it, he realised that she had seemed distracted while they were all sat at the table. She grabbed the front of his jumper and pulled him close. "I want you so badly! Just the thought of what we could be doing is soaking me! I need you! Tonight. Inside me!" She whispered. He knew what she was asking, and the idea would have been virtually impossible to refuse earlier. He shuddered at the thought as the scent floated from her. He gripped her shoulders as he forced her to look at him.

"If you can hold out a little longer, I might make it worth your while," He smiled. She closed her eyes as if she were trying to steel herself. "think you can do that?" He asked as he turned away to pour in the milk before putting it away. When he stood up again, he noticed she was staring at his backside. "Pansy?"

"Sorry?" She asked as she turned her eyes to him and smiled.

"Can you wait?" She nodded. "Come on then, let's get back to it, this presentation won't write itself." He smacked her arse as she got down from the counter and grinned at the look on her face. He took a deep breath as he tried to steady his own nerves again. He never realised that being in a relationship with Pansy would keep him on edge almost permanently

Blaise and Hermione looked up guiltily as Pansy and Neville carried the cups back over.

"Everything alright?" Neville asked lightly as they glanced between each other.

"Fine," Hermione said hurriedly.

"We're almost done on this presentation, aren't we?" Blaise asked as he fidgeted in his chair.

"Yeah, we don't have that much more to do, surely?" Hermione added.

Neville looked between them suspiciously as he tried to work out what was happening. He knew that they were only just over halfway done. He looked up at Pansy, who was chewing on her lip distractedly. That's when it clicked.

"We've got loads to do yet," Neville added as he watched all three of their disappointed faces. "In fact, I think we're all in for a long, hard night." He said, putting a slight emphasis on the words 'long' and 'hard'. He watched as they all reacted. Hermione closed her eyes as she licked her bottom lip. Blaise huffed and winced, and Pansy clenched her thighs together as she chewed on her bottom lips. He shook his head as he tried to hide his smirk. "But we can finish it off tomorrow if you guys want to?"

The speed at which they all jumped up was comical, and Neville had to struggle to hold in his amusement.

"We'll start on it first thing tomorrow, Neville," Hermione promised.

"Yeah, Night," Blaise added as they almost ran towards the stairs. He shook his head as he watched them go before turning back to Pansy. He had an idea, but he needed to do something first.

"I've just got to check something, could you pack all the books away?" He asked, and she nodded with a slight pout.

He grinned as he walked around the common room. Once again, they were the last ones around. He checked the snug and the study nook. Every possible hiding place before returning back to Pansy, who's leg was bouncing as she stared off into the distance, books in a neat pile in the centre of the table.

He stepped closer, drawing her attention. She looked up at him and the look she gave him almost stopped him in his tracks. "Stand up," he demanded and smiled when she did as she was told without question.

He took her hand and kissed it as he watched her face. An almost desperate look seemed to form across her brow at the contact. He took her suddenly, practically dragging her toward the snug.

The snug was a small alcove which was hidden from view, surrounded by bookcases and furnished with cushions. It was usually where the Ravenclaws would hole themselves up to read.

She looked around confused as he shoved her, then crushing their mouths together, pinned her against the stone. She groaned as she tried to grip him, her hands reaching for his jumper to pull him out of it. He pried her hands out of the material as he restrained her using his thigh and chest before lifting them over her head. He took them in his left hand and trapped them between the wall and his grip. Her breath hitched at the sudden action causing his cock to tingle.

With his spare hand, he pulled her hair as he moved his face to her ear. "You know you've been naughty, don't you? Teasing me all day," He whispered, and she nodded as much as she could against his grip in her hair. "I think someone needs to be taught a lesson, what do you think?" She nodded again and groaned as he tightened his grip in her hair. She pushed herself against his thigh, her hips grinding against him.

"Stop that," he ordered, and she did with a sob.

"Please," she begged. "I need you!"

They had never really done anything like this before, not seriously anyway. Still, they had talked about it at length, and Neville had a rough idea of what she wanted. He raised his hands higher, forcing her up onto her tiptoes and away from his damp thigh, arching her back against the wall. He nibbled on her neck, feeling her shudder beneath his touch. With his spare hand, he pushed it up and into the silken vest where he found what he was looking for. He cupped her breast first, making sure that he avoided her nipples before moving his hand away. She cried out in desperation as he pushed his hand to the soft curve of her stomach. He let his fingertips trail across her skin until she was squirming against his grip.

"Stay still, or there will be trouble," He purred as he watched her face. Her eyes were closed and her brow, furrowed as he traced his fingers over the goosebumps on her skin. With her back arched, he noted with satisfaction, how her nipples pressed against the silk. He knew that they wanted attention by the way she moved whenever his fingers trailed close, hoping to move them into the path of his teasing digits. He ran his fingers over the slight curve of her breast, and when she moved to meet his fingers, he pulled them away again. She whimpered with frustration and he couldn't help the smile that came to his face. "This is what you've been doing to me all day," He whispered.

"Please," She muttered. As she squirmed within his grip.

"Why should I? I don't think you really want it," She nodded and opened her eyes to look at him. Her pupils were huge with desire as she gazed pleadingly at him. He strummed his finger over her nipple at last, and she bucked as though struck by lightning. Her eyes falling closed as he did it again. "Open your eyes and look at me." He demanded as he did it again. She opened her eyes and tried to hold his gaze as he played with one of the delicate nubs. He could hear her breath growing ragged as it ghosted across his shoulder.

He squeezed it hard as she cried out. He was about to do it again when he heard voices. He grinned as a thought crossed his mind. It was something he would never have considered before. However, the mischievous thoughts from earlier had remained. He knew they wouldn't be seen from where they were, but they would certainly be heard.

"Where is your wand?" He asked as he pressed his face against hers, the scent of strawberries still about her. He growled as the want for her grew in the pit of his stomach, not as strong as it had been earlier, but enough to add urgency.

"Pocket," She whispered weakly. Neville's hand trailed down close to her crotch before pulling it away to push it into her pocket. Clasping the wooden shaft, he pulled it out and glanced at it before pushing it sideways between her parted lips. She looked at him with wide eyes as he smiled. Now effectively gagged, the fantasy was almost complete.

"Regardless of what I do to you, you are going to stay silent, aren't you?" She nodded eagerly as the wand stretched her plump lips.


	64. Tears And Cries

He pulled out his own wand and silently cast an incarcerous, and then a sticking charm which wrapped around her wrists, and stuck it to the wall, freeing his hand. Her eyes rolled with lust as she looked up at the ropes pulling at her skin. The voices continued to chatter away in the common room as he looked at her. She looked decadent, and like every wet dream he had ever had. He smiled as he took a moment to follow the lines of her body with his eyes.

"Obviously I know your safe word, and you can spit the wand out at any time." He whispered as he stepped closer. "Do you understand?" she nodded again as she stood there on tiptoes. He knew that she probably wasn't at all comfortable, but he also knew that she wouldn't notice in the next few minutes.

He raised both hands underneath her vest and gripped both nipples between his thumb and fingers. She clamped her eyes shut, and her lips quivered as she wanted to cry out. She threw her head back against the wall as he assaulted her with his fingers. "Good girl," he whispered, noting how she shuddered at the words. He lifted her vest up to expose her chest. Without waiting, he pressed his mouth to one of her dark and delicate nipples as he fingered the other.

Her breath caught as she writhed into the sensations. Neville carefully swished his wand, casting a silencing charm around them, just in case he pushed her too far. He pushed the rod back into his pocket before he continued.

Gripping her breast, he removed his mouth, replacing it with his fingers again as he clamped his lips onto the fleshy globe and sucked.

She still had the remains of an old love bite there, so he added to it pulling the blood to the surface again in an angry-looking brand. She squirmed on her toes as if trying to escape the sensations, her teeth digging into her wand.

Satisfied with his handiwork, he replaced his other hand with his mouth as he rolled the delicate lump under his tongue. He pressed his teeth into the sensitive flesh as he pushed his hand between her legs. He grinned against her skin when he felt the soaked silk between her thighs.

"Someone seems to be enjoying themselves," he whispered as he straightened. She opened her eyes almost lazily and looked at him. He wasn't sure she could hear him as his fingers continued their assault.

He caught her gaze as he lowered himself down to his knees in front of her. Her eyes closed as her breath huffed out around the wand. He hooked his fingers into the waistband of her bottoms and pulled them slowly down her milky thighs. His ears listening to the voices. The common room was silent as he waited. The thrill of knowing they could get caught made him hard as the scent of her arousal filled his nostrils.

He breathed her in as he completely removed her trousers and smirked at the missing panties. He gripped one thigh and kissed from her calf towards her core. He massaged her legs as he edged further, letting his thumb of fingers catch her wet lips occasionally. She whimpered. He smirked up at her as he inched his fingers into the soft folds. She sighed and then jumped as he leant forward and stroked her clit with his tongue.

"Shush," he warned quietly as he lifted her thighs onto his shoulders to take her weight. She wiggled her hips, bringing her closer to his mouth as she searched for the friction she desired.

He slid his arms around her arse and pulled her in close as he took her clit into his mouth. He felt her wand land on his head and fall to the pillow next to them as he began to tease and caress the most sensitive parts of her. He sped up when her breathing slowed and slowed when her breathing sped up, forever keeping her on edge.

With his right hand, he pressed two fingers to her entrance and stroked as she squeaked almost silently above him. He pushed them in gently as the hot wetness engulfed him. His mind conjured every sensation and transferred it to his solid cock as he started to move his fingers inside of her. Her hips began to rock as he built a rhythm for them.

He rolled her clit around his tongue like candy as he stroked and tapped her. Within moments, tremors vibrated through her thighs, telling him that she was close. He picked up the pace with his fingers as he quickened his tongue. Within seconds she was panting and tensing above him.

She couldn't stay silent any longer as she started to pant and moan against him as he teased her over the edge. He continued to move his fingers and tongue as she spasmed and jerked around him and only slowed when she became boneless around him.

He gently slid her legs off his shoulders and looked up, expecting to see her blissed out and dazed. When he found her sobbing as she sagged int the robes, he jumped up to release her. He fumbled with his wand as he vanished the ropes and rushed to get her down.

He took her into his arms, tenderly as he lay them down into the pillows.

"What's wrong?" he asked in a panic as he looked over her for something that could have caused the tears. She wrapped her arms around him, weakly as she buried her face into his shoulder, her arms still trembling from the restraints. He gripped her tightly as she sobbed her heart out. The longer she sobbed for, the more his panic turned to concern. "I'm sorry," He cooed. "Did you use your safe word?" he asked. He didn't remember hearing it, but her thighs had covered his ears. She shook her head as the sobs slowed. He fought to be patient as he waited for her to calm down.

"It was incredible," She whispered around her sobs. He frowned in confusion.

"Then, why are you crying?" He brushed the hair away from her face as he waited for her to respond.

"I don't know," she laughed. She sniffed as she pushed the tears from her eyes. "It was so intense that it's like I couldn't experience anymore, and I started crying. It's never happened to me before either." She chuckled as she looked at him. Her eyes were red but clear now as she looked at him and smiled "I am never letting you go, Mr Longbottom!" she whispered.

"I should bloody well hope not!" he smiled as she leant in to kiss him.

She flinched and pulled away. "You are soaked!" She said horrified.

"So are you," he laughed. "Come on, let's get cleaned up," she fumbled clumsily for her wand and then waved it until they were both clean and dry.

"I think I may have ruined my new pyjama's" she muttered sadly.

"How come?" he asked as he stretched his legs out and leant back into the cushions. His knees ached from the hard stone floor.

"You're not supposed to get silk wet, and magic never cleans it properly."

He frowned "I'll buy you a new pair. However, I can't promise that we won't ruin those too." They smirked at each other as she pulled on her bottoms and fell into the pillows next to him.

"Where did that Neville come from?" She asked as she sank into his arms

"I'm not sure, but I think he might visit from time to time."

"Well, you tell him from me that he is welcome any time." She puffed out her cheeks as she waved air at her face. "That was fucking mindblowing!"

He smirked at the compliment and stroked her hair out of her face.

"I thought, after our little fun today that you'd enjoy me taking control." He smiled, feeling insecure all of a sudden. "Are you sure you enjoyed it?"

"Neville, you almost made me cum from playing with my nipples alone, so everything else was just astronomical!" She sighed as he cuddled her closer.

"I think you might have to hide that perfume though," Neville mentioned with a smirk.

"Why?" She asked

"I think you may have gotten Blaise and Hermione hot under the collar too."

"Oh, right. No more perfume then, unless I really want to wreak havoc." She grinned and laughed. She shivered suddenly against him.

"Are you cold?" He asked, and she nodded.

"You could come and sleep with me if you wanted?" He offered. She smiled and nodded as he climbed to his feet.

"I would really like that." She replied. He smiled down at her as he offered her his hand. She stood carefully and almost fell as the weight was too much for her legs. "I told you you!" She grinned "You've fucked me senseless," Neville smirked and hooked his arm around her waist as he held her up.

Checking that they were decent before appearing from the snug, they grabbed their things from the table and climbed the steps to bed.

The sun was brilliant outside the following morning as the light reflected off the snow. Neville yawned as he sat on the edge of his bed. His mood was buoyant and satisfied as he remembered the actions of the day before. He also felt elated by the memory of Pansy waking him again with her mouth around his already hard cock. He sighed and pushed his hand through his hair as he stood up. He stretched, enjoying the tightness in certain areas that, again reminded him that last night had actually happened.

"Morning," Terry greeted him as he too swung his legs out of bed.

"Morning, Tel," Neville offered before turning to his wardrobe to grab some clothes and his towel.

"Could you do me a favour?" Terry asked awkwardly.

"Sure, what's up?" He asked, glancing around.

"Can you both keep it down, I really struggled to get to sleep last night." He complained. Neville paused as he tried to work out what they could have done to keep him awake.

"We came up late, and just went to sleep, I don't think it was us," It was Terry's turn to look confused.

"Are you sure? There was a couple up here last night, and they were loud and vocal. I mean great if you're having fun, but not when people are trying to sleep, that's just not cool."

"Sorry, It wasn't us," He said as he turned back to his wardrobe, his mind racing. "Was it coming from my bed?" He asked, and Terry shook his head.

"No, actually, it sounded further away. I just assumed it was you two."

Neville nodded as he left the room. He had a rough idea who it might have been, and it was confirmed as he reached Blaise's bed. Hermione almost ran from his bed as he entered the room. Blaise sat on the edge of the bed in a daze.

"You alright?" Neville asked as he paused by the door to the bathroom.

"Erm, you and Pansy didn't by any chance go into a particular shop yesterday, did you? Blackened windows, interesting products?" He asked subtly, and Neville frowned.

"You know we did, you told me I was a lucky boy, remember?" Blaise shook his head.

"I was talking about something completely different," He groaned "Pansy bought some perfume, didn't she?" He asked, and he looked annoyed.

"I'm going to take a shower," Neville said as he disappeared into the bathroom. He heard the door open behind him as Blaise followed him in.

"She did, didn't she?"

"You'll have to ask her, I don't know what she bought except for some underwear."

Blaise looked at him for a moment as he narrowed his eyes.

"It's not good, Nev, I used to be able to tell when you were lying," He smirked, and Neville let out a breath.

"I'm not lying, I have no idea what she bought,"

"Well, either way, I think we're going to have to take a trek down to Hogsmeade again. Is there anything you want?"

"I'm alright," He replied. "Is Hermione alright?" it occurred to him how awful it would be if it had been a first time.

"She's fine, just embarrassed, I think. She'd been holding out on me, keeping me keen, as it were."

"It wasn't her first time?" Blaise shook his head.

"No, I think Weasley got there first," He shook his head. "I think we'd better keep this between ourselves. She's going to be pissed off as it is without adding fuel to the fire." Neville couldn't agree more as Blaise left him alone in the bathroom.


	65. Ooops

Pansy sat down gingerly next to him as he scooped the scrambled eggs into his mouth. He gazed at her, and she smiled, her eyes glued to his. He had never known anyone well enough to be able to have a whole conversation with them in a single glance. Just from that look, he knew that she ached from the night before and that she was delighted about it. He also knew that she was happy in his company and loved him dearly. He let out a satisfied breath as he winked at her. She smiled warmly back as she nudged him with her shoulder.

Hermione and Blaise were not quite so warm towards each other. Hermione looked rattled and embarrassed as she avoided everyone's gaze, and Blaise looked fed up with the whole situation. Neville tried to ignore them as he continued to eat his breakfast. If there was one thing he didn't want, it was to get involved in an argument and never with Hermione.

"Morning," Ginny said as she and Luna climbed onto the bench next to them all. "Everyone alright?" She said cautiously as she picked up on the tension. Neville and the others answered, but Hermione and Blaise only grumbled their intelligible response. "Wow, feel that enthusiasm!" she exclaimed as she started to pile her plate.

"If you will all excuse me, I have to go to Hogsmeade today, which was not something I had planned to waste my time on!" Hermione muttered as she stood up, snatching her things from off the table with abrupt accuracy. They all watched as she glared at Blaise.

"I said I was sorry," He repeated tersely as she huffed and stormed away from the table. Blaise scrambled up before pointing at Pansy. "You owe me big time!" Pansy winced as Blaise ran off after Hermione.

Theo, Anthony, Ginny and Luna scooted together, filling the gap that Hermione and Blaise had left.

"This sounds good, what did you do?"

"Nothing," She said as she pinched a slice of Neville's toast.

"Pansy?" Theo warned.

"Well, nothing intentionally, I wasn't thinking properly," She cringed before chewing on a piece of toast.

"Oh, for Hecate's sake!" He cursed.

"If she doesn't want to tell us, she doesn't have to," Anthony offered.

"Shush, you obviously know nothing about our relationship. Pansy tells me everything!" Theo looked at Neville and smirked. "Every. Thing." He winked.

It was Neville's turn to look at Pansy, raising his eyebrow in interest.

"Fuck!" She cursed.

"Come on! Spill it, Parkinson," Ginny added eagerly as she leant forward.

"She doesn't want to admit going into Nocturnally Yours," Luna added as she looked up from her book.

"How?" Theo asked with exasperation.

"She's wearing one of Nala's designs."

"What?" Theo asked again. "Who's Nala?"

"Oh yeah," Ginny nodded as she stared at Pansy's chest and neck. Neville narrowed his eyes at them before putting his hand in the way, blocking their view.

"Come on! That's not polite!" He said as he stared at them reproachfully.

"Oh, Nev. We're not checking her out, even if she is…" Ginny nodded appreciatively

"See for yourself," Luna said. Neville looked at Pansy curiously and noticed. Just above her collar, he could see the choker that went with the underwear set.

He nodded and winked at her as he thought about what fun he was going to have with her.

"That reminds me, I have something for you upstairs." He said without thinking.

"I'll just bet you do," Theo smirked. Anthony smiled and poked him playfully in the side. "But that's beside the point. What have you done to Blaise and Hermione?"

"I bought some of Nala's perfume, thinking I could tease Neville." She cringed at the admission.

"Oh, no!" Ginny winced. Pansy nodded, her expression pained and embarrassed.

"I'm lost," Theo frowned as he leant in closer. "What perfume? And again, Who is Nala?"

"She's the owner of a sex shop in Diagon Alley. She also makes a perfume that stimulates and erm…" Ginny seemed to chew on her words as she considered what else to say.

"It turns you on until you can't think any more," Neville said simply before taking a large bite of toast. He stopped chewing as they all looked at him except for Pansy.

"Neville!" Ginny grinned. "You dark horse!"

"Really?" Theo asked "I don't see how,"

"She uses pheromones and plants essence," Luna added again in her floaty voice. "It brings all the animal instincts and base desires to the fore."

"And, do I dare ask how this is related to Blaise and Hermione?"

"I wore it last night while we were studying together working on the DADA presentation," Pansy admitted.

"Oh no," They all said as they all came to the same conclusion.

"So that's why they came racing in!" Theo said in realisation. "They made such a racket!"

"It's not a scent that makes you do anything you don't want to do, Nala would never make something like that," Luna shook her head. "It just increases blood flow and heightens sensitivity,"

"So they got carried away?" Anthony asked "It's not like they weren't already a couple though,"

"I think Hermione was struggling to get passed Blaise's reputation," Theo explained.

"I feel awful!" Pansy said as she stole another piece of Neville's toast.

"Not awful enough to stop pinching my food!" Neville said playfully as he nudged her with his shoulder. "It's not like there's a pile of toast right there," He motioned to the toast rack in the centre of the table.

"It tastes better from your plate."

"Stolen food always tastes better," Luna agreed, and Ginny nodded too.

Neville smirked and rolled his eyes.

"So why have they got to go to Hogsmeade? I feel like I'm missing something," Anthony asked as he stirred his coffee.

"A morning after draught, I imagine," Pansy muttered somberly.

They all nodded quietly as they continued to eat their breakfast.

"So… Neville," Ginny started as she grinned at him. He narrowed his eyes suspiciously at her. "What else did you get from Nocturnally?"

"Me? Nothing," He lied. Ginny looked at him and narrowed her own eyes.

"You're spending too long around those Slytherin's, I can't tell if you're lying or not!" she pouted.

"I'll take that as a compliment!" Pansy smirked, "But he didn't buy anything, I bought a few things, mostly underwear." She smiled.

"She does the best underwear, doesn't she? Did you go behind the curtain?" Ginny asked as she leant closer. Pansy smirked. "That's a yes!"

"I'm saying no more as it may ruin a surprise or two," Pansy replied as she glanced at him.

He raised an eyebrow curiously.

"Just remember to use a safeword," Luna added without looking up. They all looked at her as Ginny started to turn red in the face.

"Oh, really? Do you want to tell us more about that, you two?" Neville asked as he raised his eyebrow, Ginny glared at him.

"Okay, point taken!" the redhead surrendered as she raised her palms

"Point taken? I was being serious," Neville joked.

"And if he wasn't I am," Pansy grinned teasingly.

"Oh, Merlin! Luna, this is why you need to think before you speak,"

"I did, I was thinking about spending the day in bed," She looked up and smiled as she stood up and walked off.

They all looked at each other again before Ginny smiled, her cheeks still glowing bright red. "Sorry guys, See you later!" and then she was gone too.

"You're not wearing that perfume again, are you?" Theo asked.

Pansy frowned as she sniffed her top, pulling it towards her nose. Neville sniffed her too but could only smell the delicious scent of black cherries that was completely Pansy.

"She's not." Neville shook his head. "It smells like strawberries,"

The two men nodded in understanding as they all fell into silence, finishing their food as they pondered what they had learned.

The sun poured through the glass ceiling, and as cold as it was outside, it felt like summer within the greenhouses. Neville was elbow deep in the well that supplied the plants with water. It was hooked up to a natural spring, and its temperature, which would usually be just above freezing, was perfectly tepid, specifically controlled for the plants within.

He cleaned the leaves of the Pipeweed so that they could take in the rays of the weakened winter sun before turning to the Bulgerwort.

"I don't think you've ever told me what your thesis is actually about, you know?" Pansy muttered idly as she tended to her own project.

"It's because it's boring," Neville muttered back.

They had been enjoying a companionable silence as they both worked on their projects. Sharing their space and time without wasting words. The odd smile across the distance between them when the other was looking.

"Shut up! I bet it's ridiculously fascinating and you just don't want to sound fancy." He could hear the smirk in her voice without seeing her face.

"No, it really is boring," He chuckled as he pulled out his wand, waving it over the Bulgerwort. It really was in a sorry state. He hoped that he could nurse it back to health regardless of his dissertation.

"Fine! Obviously, you're afraid I'll steal all your good ideas and take all the credit for myself. It's ok. I know how intimidating I can be…" He laughed and shook his head.

"You are about as intimidating as a grumpy kitten, I might make that your nickname from now on."

"Grumpy kitten?" He heard the disgust in her voice "I don't like that at all!" she said with a snort.

"I meant just kitten,"

"It's better, but I'm not convinced. And I'll have you know I'm very intimidating!"

"Okay, I take it back, You are terrifying!"

"Now that's a bit of a stretch!" She snorted again "I'm not a monster!"

"Little terror kitten," He murmured and grinned when he heard her laugh.

They fell into silence again as Neville started to take trimmings from his weeds to dry and test. He was really going to be pushed for time and just hoped that he could get the majority of his work done before Christmas.

"Well?" She asked after a while.

"Well, what?"

"What's your project?"

He laughed and stood up, floating his cuttings to one of the workbenches before drying off his hands.

"A metaphysical, alchemical and herbalogical comparative analysis of Hypericum Perforatum and Senecio Vulgaris for use in potions, salves and other magical applications, significant, but not limited to the field of healing." He explained as he swiped the towel over his hands.

"What?" She said in disbelief. He repeated it, only to laugh when she half turned to him, "Was that even in English?"

"All except the Latin, yes."

"Fucking hell, Neville! You never take the easy way out do you?"

"You tell me! Are you my girlfriend or not?" He added teasingly as he stepped up beside her. She offered him her cheek, and he kissed it as he looked at her project. "And what's your project?"

"Mine is just a study of the life cycle of the Snargaluff plant. I think they'll be large enough to pierce skin soon," she frowned as one of the tentacles whipped out as her gloved finger.

"If you need any help extracting the seeds, let me know," He said. The plant had never been his favourite, but he could handle it.

"Don't you worry, you're at the top of my list!" she smirked as she stepped back, taking her gloves off.

"Yay," he muttered sarcastically before he grinned and pulled her close.

"Someone's feeling brave today aren't they?" She smirked, "They say that absolute power corrupts people absolutely!" She warned.

"I hope you're not complaining!" he muttered as he pushed the hair out of her face.

"I think you'll find that I never complain. I just tell it like it is," She smirked before looking up at him with her large pale eyes.

"And exactly how is it, My darling little terror kitten?" Her face broke into a grin as she rolled her eyes.

"I tell you I am intimidating and someone to be feared!"

"Of course you are, I'm terrified of you!" Neville said as he lowered his head, placing a kiss on her nose.

"If I didn't stand to lose a great deal in this arrangement, I would say that last night could never be repeated as it makes your head too big. You are unbearable!" She chuckled.

"Ok, so it'll never happen again." He agreed with a smirk.

"That is not what I said!" She argued.

"You said that last night can never be repeated as I am unbearable."

"You smug bastard! You know that I can't get that whole thing out of my mind!" She rolled her eyes again before looking up at him. "I can't get you out of my mind either!" She said seriously. "Christmas is going to suck Scroot balls!" She looked down as she fiddled with one of the buttons on his cardigan. "I mean it!" She said as she looked up at him again.

"I know, But I will write to you every day, I'll see if I can borrow my Uncle's camera and I'll take some pictures."

"I can't believe that I don't have a picture of you. What if I forget what you look like?"

"Probably not a bad thing, just as long as you don't forget what I feel like," He smiled as he tilted her head up and placed a chaste kiss against her lips. He pulled away as she remained, eyes closed and lips slightly parted.

"I could never forget that," She said finally as she opened her eyes. "I love you."

"I love you too!" He smiled affectionately down at her.

"Come on, let's finish up cause I want a coffee and a cuddle."

"Yes, oh intimidating one," He laughed as he bowed. She clenched her lips with a frown as she smacked him with her gloves before breaking into laughter.


	66. Outed

They collapsed into the window seat as they huddled closer together, the world around them fading into insignificance as they talked and discussed everything. It occurred to him that he hadn't given her the charm for her choker yet. He would have to remember to get it so that he could mess with her later. He smiled to himself but managed to disguise it before Pansy noticed.

"When did you want your Christmas present, by the way?" Pansy asked suddenly. It was so sudden that he wondered whether she was using Legilimency.

"You mean you've bought me something?" He asked, surprised. She frowned and nodded.

"Of course I have," She replied confused. "Is that not a normal thing for people in a relationship to do?" He smiled and nodded.

"You forget, I've never really been in a relationship at this time of year before, so I'm not particularly well versed in the expected traditions." He smirked.

"Oh, shut up!" She smiled "You've got me something, so why wouldn't I get you something?"

He shrugged. "I don't know, I guess I just wasn't expecting anything."

She turned to him and looked at him a frown on her face.

"I'm starting to think that you don't expect good things to happen to you, darling," she placed her hand against his face and smiled.

"I guess not," He said

"Well, I'm hoping to change that!" She vowed as she settled back against him with a satisfied sigh.

The fine day had turned overcast before they left the greenhouses and now snow threatened the frozen countryside. Neville rested his head against hers as he pushed his arm around her waist, feeling warm and comfortable. "This is my favourite time of year," she muttered suddenly.

"How come?" He asked as he snuggled closer.

"I love wrapping up warm and feeling all cuddly. I love the bright colours and seasonal food." He listened to her and smiled. "There's a certain something about this time of the year, like an everpresent feeling that makes everything feel tingly and exciting. Regardless of how shit Christmas is at home, I love that feeling of anticipation that lingers."

He smiled as he listened to her. He knew exactly the feeling she meant. He could feel it in the common room as the tree twinkled and shimmered in the light. "Look! it's snowing." She said. He nodded against her head. "It always makes the world look so clean and magical. It hides a multitude of sins."

Large flakes of snow floated past the window as the mountains in the distance disappeared in the flurry.

"I like the autumn too," Neville replied. "I like the deep reds that the trees go, and I love carving pumpkins and harvesting everything I've been working on over the year."

"Your pumpkins are always the best." She smiled.

"How would you know?" He asked curiously.

"You've been decorating the greenhouses with them for years! And you're about the only student who would."

"Point taken," He chuckled.

"When we were younger, I used to smash the others when I was pissed off. However, I could never bring myself to smash yours."

"I always wondered why mine were the only ones that survived." He snorted.

"Well, now you know," she smirked.

"So, exactly how long have you fancied me?" He asked as a smile pulled at his lips. She tilted her head as she considered the question.

"A while," She smiled.

"Come on, tell me," He begged

"I first thought you were sweet in fourth year, With all that long hair" She turned to look at him, an affectionate smile curving her lips as she remembered. "You'd shot up over the summer, and suddenly you were this tall, cute, quiet boy. You were quite endearing."

"Tall, cute and quiet?" He laughed "Don't suppose I've changed much then?"

"Beyond all recognition!" she laughed, "I sometimes miss your long hair,"

"I think my Gran might have a fit if I turned up at home with green hair that was also long. It already sounds like she's going to sheer me like a sheep when I get home. I just hope George gets in touch soon."

"I dread to think what my father will say. I may be shorn too,"

"We can be bald together," He smiled. "Then, when we leave school, we can do whatever we like."

He waited for her to answer, but she remained silent as she looked out into the snow. He opened his mouth to speak when the door of the common room burst open, drawing their gaze. Hermione and Blaise stood, breathing heavily as they looked around.

"What's going on?" Neville asked, feeling the dread in his fear as his instincts kicked in. A year with the Carrows in charge had ironed out any confusion when it came to dealing with sudden problems.

"Where's Theo?" Blaise asked breathlessly.

"Upstairs with Anthony, I think," Pansy added as she swung her legs out, twisting free of Neville's grasp.

"I'll go get him," Neville volunteered as Pansy slid to the sofa. Blaise nodded thankfully as he tried to catch his breath.

Hermione almost collapsed onto the nearby armchair as Neville raced up the staircase to the dorms.

Sir Patrick opened with a nod, and a smile and Neville rushed in, almost catching his foot on the ledge.

"Theo?" He called. The curtain on one of the beds parted as Theo looked out.

"Nev? What's wrong?"

"You need to come downstairs, Hermione and Blaise are looking for you,"

"They can wait. We'll be down later," Theo muttered as the curtain pulled too again. He could hear them kissing and rolled his eyes.

"Theo, They've rushed all the way back from Hogsmeade, I think it's important."

"Nev, I don't mean to be rude, but fuck off, we're kind of in the middle of something." Neville rolled his eyes in exasperation as he turned back to the door.

"I tried!" he muttered as he left the room.

He returned back downstairs, where three pairs of eyes followed him down the staircase. They looked at him expectantly and then with disappointment when he shook his head.

"Where is he?" Hermione asked.

"He is currently in bed, presumably with Anthony and I was told to fuck off. They're in the middle of something. I heard kissing."

"For fuck sake!" Blaise cursed as he passed him, taking two steps at a time on his way back up to the dorms.

"What's going on?"

"It's bad!" Hermione muttered as she threw a newspaper at him

It was the daily Saga. It was dated the sixth of December.

"It's today's paper," Hermione said without him asking.

He unfurled it as he lowered himself down next to Pansy. She pushed closer to him so that she could read it too. The headline stood out

**_"_****_Nancy or Nott? By The Daily Saga's Gossip Correspondent, Rita Skeeter"_**

"Oh, no!" Pansy whispered as she took hold of the closest edge of the paper. Neville let her as the sickening feeling of dread compressed his chest. They carried on reading as they waited for Theo to appear.

**_Former Death-Eater and Voldemort-supporter, Pluto Cantankerous Nott will be shocked to learn that his son, Theodore Nott, is not only in a relationship with a half-blood but also a wizard! _**

**_Anyone who is anyone will know the names of almost every single Death-Eater that lay siege to the walls of Hogwarts school, less than a year ago. These people who were once key pillars in our proud community attacked the castle where our children slept, killing many and maiming others. _**

**_Widower and former owner of 'Nott Legal – Corporate and Commercial Specialists at Law'; Pluto Cantankerous Nott was recently apprehended and convicted for crimes against humanity and wizarding Britain. Former Death-Eater and Voldemort-crony has often been vocal about his feelings towards muggles and people of muggle heritage. He has also been know for preaching the dangers of mixed blood unions. Little did he know that his son, Theodore Nott was of a more liberal and gentle persuasion. _**

**_It has not been confirmed whether the son has followed in the father's footsteps. However, reports indicate that Theodore (Theo to his friends) is on a first-name basis with many of the heroes still schooling within the former battlefield._**

**_(Please turn to page three for details of our newest segment Heroes of Hogwarts, including Hermione Granger, Neville Longbottom, Ginevra Weasley, and Looney Lovegood.)_**

**_Theo was recently seen with friends on a day trip to the nearby village of Hogsmeade. However, it was with great shock to discover that gentile Nott was engaged in a romantic liaison with Halfblood Wizard Anthony Goldstein. _**

Neville couldn't read any more so let Pansy take the paper from him. He looked up at Hermione, who watched the stairs nervously as she waited for the others to join them.

"I take it that this isn't good?" he asked grimly.

"Not at all good." Hermione agreed

"His mother is my father's sister. If that gives you a clue," Pansy mumbled as her eyes rushed across the page.

"Shit!" Neville cursed.

Hermione and Pansy nodded in agreement as they heard the portrait slam from upstairs. Someone muttered an apology to Sir Patrick before the three of them trudged dourly down the stairs.

"Give me the paper." Theo snapped as he rushed at Pansy. She handed it over without a word and watched as he read the article.

"What does it say?" Anthony asked nervously.

"If your parents didn't know you were gay before, they do now," Blaise said as he clapped a hand onto the blond's shoulder.

"They already know," He muttered as his eyes took in Theo. Theo slowly dropped the paper, the pages trembling in his hands. Neville moved up the sofa before pulling him down between him and Pansy. The last thing he wanted was for him to collapsed and hurt himself.

"What am I going to do?" he whispered hopelessly.

Pansy rubbed his arm as she tried to soothe him. He turned his head to her. "I'm as good as dead, aren't I?"

She closed her eyes, and a tear rolled down her face. Just that one gesture told Neville how serious the whole affair was.

"Can someone please explain to me what's going on?" Anthony asked as he sat down on the arm of Hermione's armchair. "I understand that he's just been outed and that's terrible, but I feel like this has hidden meaning which I don't understand."

"If our families see this, which they probably will. Homosexuality and relations with anything less than purebloods are strictly forbidden." Pansy muttered. "Sometimes punishable…"

"If my Uncle see this, he could disown me or worse,"

"Worse?" Anthony asked, his cheeks, losing all colour. They all looked between each other as the alternatives went unsaid.

"Hogwarts is a safe haven for you. However, I think you should talk to McGonagall and tell her everything." Hermione said. They all nodded as Pansy pulled Theo in for a hug.

Her eyes met Neville's before looking away guiltily. His nerves tingled and quivered as it occurred to him that this could so easily be his and Pansy's situation. His standing as a blood traitor ruled out everything else.

"Come on, Let's go and find McGonagall. She'll know what to do." Pansy said as she helped him to his feet. Theo nodded mutely before stopping.

"I need to change first, I can't see her like this!" Even with the tension in the room, they all smirked when they realised that Theo and Anthony were only wearing their dressing gown.

Pansy released him as they both climbed the stairs, Theo's ghostly white face pinched as they disappeared from sight.


	67. The Endless Corridor

Neville spent the rest of the evening in his bed as he chipped away at his dissertation. His mind continued to drift back to Pansy and the parallels between their situations. Two children of strict, pureblood families who had fallen for people that their families wouldn't approve of.

Neville cursed the whole system. He couldn't understand how there could be a tolerated social structure that allowed forced marriages and punished people for falling in love. Certainly not without any consent of the child. It was all so medieval.

He pushed his fingers through his hair as he tried to reread the paragraph he'd just written again. His mind screamed at him, waving every insecurity in his face so that he couldn't concentrate. He wondered what future they could possibly have if the Parkinson's and Notts were so determined to keep them apart.

Pansy's silence only added fuel to the fire. He knew she didn't have answers and that she was concerned too, but he feared losing her. He wondered how he would feel knowing that she was no longer in the world and instantly regretted it. He didn't have to imagine how it felt to be able to look but not touch. It was torturous.

Neither option was preferable. However, if it kept Pansy safe, then he was more than willing to step aside.

He threw his book and quill on the floor in frustration before throwing himself back on to the bed. He didn't have time or the heart for this! He'd come too close to losing her so many times before.

The night pressed against him, weighing him down. It always seemed to get its heaviest around one in the morning. Only knowing that he needed to be up early for school forced him to get back up and change for bed. He pushed under his covers and hoped that the nightmares would keep their distance as he knew he didn't have the mental fortitude to fight them off. He knew they'd come anyway, they had too much fodder not to.

He closed his eyes and waited for sleep, knowing that his rest would be scant and interrupted. He sighed and resigned himself to it as he cuddled his pillow, hoping to convince his sleeping self that he wasn't facing them alone.

He rolled over and closed his eyes and soon was asleep. It started like all his dreams did. With silver and charcoal figures clinging to the walls like shadows; Hiding from the moon as he stood in the endless corridor. He poked at them with the tip of his lit wand, waiting for them to strike and feeling their invisible hands, reaching for him as he passed.

He was no longer hunted, he'd been found, and now they were toying with him like a cat with a mouse. He stumbled, his feet catching on the floor as the exhaustion took over. He crashed to the ground, too weak to rise again. He was so tired of running. Forever trying to escape them. Always trying to save everyone else and perpetually failing to be stronger, quicker, and smarter. Still trying to be more than he was and being found wanting at every turn.

Rancid air like a Manticore's breath seared his skin as he cowered on the floor, waiting for the pain to start. So much for being a Gryffindor! Lions didn't cower in hopeless impatience as they waited for the end to come. They faced the danger head-on hoping for a quick death. So much for being a Gryffindor as he lay, pathetic and forlorn in the ashes.

Ashes? Where had the ashes come from? He looked up, as the ash fell around him like snow. He found a shoe, half-buried in the white powder. His heart, which he hadn't noticed until now was suddenly deafening as it thudded its life song. It seemed to echo around the walls with it, like a countdown to his demise.

The shoe looked familiar as he reached for it. It was a casual blue trainer with white laces and rubber sole and toe. The pump mocked him as he tried to figure out where he had seen it before. His eyes caught more blue and found its twin beneath the first.

Something crumbled in the piling ash and Neville reached out to grab it. It was a wand, with vines climbing up towards the point. He threw it away in shock as he realised who it had belonged to. Suddenly like lightning, a flash of recognition struck him. The shoes made sense.

He fell back in a panic, crawling away from the remains of his friends. Harry's trainers and Hermione's wand shrouded in ash like their final resting places.

As he crawled away from them, Ron's jumper became visible, the golden R appearing from the dust. Then Seamus's scarf and Deans shirt. More things started to emerge as the air moved the powder around, creating dunes large enough to bury him.

He covered his mouth as he realised that he was breathing them in. His hand brushed skin, and he cried out as he turned. A body, lay sprawled out in the ash and he almost screamed as he rushed to her. Her starlight eyes staring sightlessly off into the distance, devoid of life.

He swallowed, and with a shaking breath, he reached out to stroke her hair. His sobs choked him as he wanted to throw up. She was gone, and it was all his fault. He hadn't been enough to keep her safe. He tried to swallow past the boulder in his throat, hoping that his touch would revive her.

As his fingers glanced her skin, her cheek began to crack and crumble. Her face caved in on itself as she disintegrated and joined the rest. He stared at the pendant as it lay in the dust. In desperation, he tried to scoop her up, maybe he could find a way to put her back together again. A way to bring her back to the world, if not back to him. There had to be a spell that could fix him to stop this from happening.

There was no way that he could live in a world without her. As he tried to scoop the dust together, a wind picked up through the corridor as a storm howled beyond the Hogwarts tower. The dust whipped up around him as voices mingled with the air. Screaming at him, crying and threatening, accusing him of letting them down. He covered his head as he wept into the wind, Her voice cutting him in bloody slashes as he jumped from sleep.

He sat sobbing into the darkness as he fumbled for his wand. He desperately needed to know that he wasn't still sat in ashes. Once the Lumos charm was cast, and every inch of his bed was searched, the tears subsided. Pushing his tears away with his hand, he sat on the edge and looked at the floor where his bedclothes lay in a pile. His eyes, gritty as though the ashes had gathered there.

He stood up abruptly as he collected his quilt. He couldn't sleep again tonight and couldn't be bothered to remake his bed. Ignoring the eerily-familiar moonlight pouring through the windows, he moved to the portrait hole and escaped into the stairwell. Once through it, he stood and weighed up his options. He hadn't thought it through what he would do once he was out of the quiet dorms. It was only when he glanced up the stairs he remembered the other portrait. He cursed, he had been a couple of times already, but with homework and exam prep, he hadn't been to see her in over a week.

He shrugged, now would be as good a time as any. He climbed the stairs, careful not to trip in the bedclothes. He approached her slowly before clearing his throat and jolting her awake.

Lady Isadore Charbonneau sat upright and ridged as she looked around for the disruption. Her heavily powdered face looked yellowed and cracked in the candlelight, like curdled milk.

"Mon Dieu, c'était quoi? What has happened?!" She exclaimed as he huddled up against the railings.

"I'm sorry, milady. I came to apologise." Neville muttered as he pulled the quilt around him to keep the chill of the tower at bay.

"Apologise? At this obscene hour?" She huffed. "Comment oses-tu! What time is it, anyway? All I can tell is that the sun has yet to rise,"

Neville shrugged as he leant his head against the stone bannister, it was uncomfortable, and that was good. He didn't dare get comfortable in case he dropped off again.

"When I was a girl, men had manners and didn't call on young maids until the sun was at least clear of the trees," She rolled her eyes, "Mais, quelles sont les manières de nos jours?"

"I'm sorry, I don't speak French," He muttered as he watched one of the candles guttering in the draught.

"Proper men were multilingual and cultured, in their court suits. Oh, the Luxurious silk velvet, and the embroidery, so handsome!" She frowned down at Neville. "Not like the fashions of today, not a shapely calf in sight, everything is hidden away behind dark and bland clothes. Men are too afraid of wearing flowers these days."

He nodded again as a shiver ran up his spine.

"I suppose you want me to allow you into the dorms?" She crossed her hands demurely over her lap as she glared down at him, her lips pinched and red like an over-ripe raspberry.

He shook his head.

"No?" She baulked "What do you mean, No?" She shook her head in confusion "I mean to say, I would refuse regardless as no men should be in a maid's bedroom after hours. But why do you decline?"

"We made a bargain that I would come and listen to you, Here I am."

She looked at him for a long moment, her beady eyes narrowing suspiciously.

"We agreed, did we not that I would set the topics?" Neville nodded in agreement. "And you will hear me for the length of one hour?" He nodded again.

Her face retained the frown, but instead of suspicion, her face softened into concern.

"Are you… Ill, young sir?"

He shook his head tiredly before turning his eyes back to her. "I believe you were telling me about your time during the french revolution, and the fashion of proper men" He reminded as he settled in against the cold stone.

Distracted once more, she started to speak, bearly sparing a moment between words to breathe. Neville wondered abstractly whether enchanted paintings could survive underwater

"Ah yes, The era of enlightenment. The years before seventeen ninety were debauched and hedonistic. Such times!" She sighed fondly as she began to reminisce of times past.

Neville let the words wash through him as he stared off into space, offering the odd nod or comment when the need arose. A couple of times, he found his eyes had closed without his consent. He sat up straighter and tugged the quilt off, exposing him to the cold air.

"But as my very dear friend, Voltaire once said, 'Let us read, and let us dance; these two amusements will never do harm to the world.'" She smiled for a moment before looking down at him, as though remembering that he was there. "He was a wizard, you know? And such a wise man! Died too young for a wizard!"

Neville nodded again as he stretched, the stone was doing nothing good to his back.

"Do you dance? Monsieur?" She asked, her French accent thickening again.

He thought back to the Beaubaton students in their periwinkle robes and their thick French accents. He could hear certain differences between them, he wondered whether it was a different accent due to age or location.

Neville nodded mutely.

"It is good to dance," She nodded sagely.

"I'm not very good, though," Neville admitted.

"Don't let perfect be the enemy of the good" She smiled kindly "More of Voltaire's wisdom, As long as you are happy then do not worry whether you are perfect."

Neville nodded, his head still filled with the nightmare. Every time he blinked, he could practically feel the powdery ash clinging to his skin.

"You look like the world hangs from your shoulders." Neville sighed heavily. He shook his head. "Someone approaches." The portrait said suddenly as she swung towards him.

Neville sat motionless as he waited for the person behind to show themselves. When she appeared, he felt something in his heart loosen.

"Neville?" She murmured tiredly. She wore her silken dressing gown thrown over her silk nightdress. She shivered as she looked around before wrapping the robe tightly around herself. "What are you doing up here? It's freezing! And who are you talking to?"

"Lady Isadore Charbonneau," he muttered as his eyes clung to every curve and crease as she stood before him looking bedraggled and beautiful.

"The Portrait? What was so important that you needed to speak with Isadore at three in the morning?" She asked as she lowered herself to her knees.

"I made a bargain as she has no one to talk to up here," Neville replied as he raised his hands to her face. He paused and pulled away, afraid to touch her in case she crumbled and evaporated like his dream.

"Oh don't listen to her, she makes each of us sit and listen to her before she lets us in for the evening. She is not short on conversation." Pansy turned to the portrait who looked innocently into the air.

"One can never have too much conversation, and I like him, he doesn't talk much," Pansy rolled her eyes and smirked.

"Yes, well while you've been regaling him with your tales of the good times, you've been keeping us awake in there!" She tilted her head in the direction of the dorm. "Mumble mumble, French revolution, mumble mumble,"

"Well, I was myself asleep before Monsieur Longbottom arrived." She replied haughtily as she avoided Pansy's gaze.

Pansy turned back to him with a frown.

"Did you have more nightmares?" She asked as she placed her hand on his knee. He nodded as he watched her hand waiting for her to disappear. "Come on darling, You look so lost out here." She offered him her hand, and he took it, revelling in the warm substance of it as it remained solid within his grasp. "Shit" Neville, you're frozen! Come on, let's get you back to bed."

"Monsieur Longbottom?" Lady Isadore asked as Pansy helped him up, his bones and muscles stiff from the cold and unyielding floor.

Neville looked at her, and her smile made her look younger than she'd seemed before. "Every man is guilty of all the good he did not do.' More Voltaire I'm afraid, but I feel that you need to know that whatever ills haunt your sleep, you are more than capable of handling it. Dors Bien," She nodded as they walked down the steps towards Sir Patrick.

"Are you alright?" Pansy asked carefully.

"All the better for seeing you," He murmured as he admired every feature. Pansy smiled at him as she watched him through the portrait hole. "Will you come with me?" He asked. He hated how weak and pathetic he sounded, but he feared waking up and not knowing whether his dream had been a reality or not.

She smiled and nodded as she followed him through the portrait door.


	68. Sardonic Grin

Fist clenched, he focused on his toast and not the gritty sensation in his eyes, or the need he felt to hold, touch or just look at Pansy. Since waking, he felt overwhelmingly clingy as though letting her out of his sight would result in her disappearing forever. He tried not to let it show as he held himself together, keeping his hands and eyes to himself.

They were all subdued as they sat in the noisy hall. It felt strange that life could keep moving when something awful happened. He glanced up at Theo, who pushed his porridge around morosely with his spoon. Anthony looked at each of them in turn as though he was surprised at how badly people were taking the news of Theo's exposure.

"Hermione, How much did you get down for the pureblood essay?" Hermione finished chewing her crumpet before wiping her mouth with a napkin.

"About twenty-two inches, you?" she asked.

"Seventeen." He nodded with a grin as he shook his head. "I'll take that! I'd be kidding myself if I thought I could outwrite you!" They all snorted, and Hermione smiled shyly.

"What was the Muggle Studies homework? I notice none of you came to me with any questions," She asked as she too looked around.

"We had to read a book written by a Muggle author and write about it," Pansy murmured.

"Oooh, that sounds great, what did you read?"

"Persuasion by Jane Austen," Pansy replied.

"The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett" Neville muttered self-consciously.

"Of course!" Hermione snorted warmly. "I read the lord of the rings when I was younger, did you know Tolkien was a Wizard?"

They all nodded except for Anthony, who shook his head dumbfounded. "That explains so much!" He said quietly.

"That's what I thought. You know what would be a great idea? If there was a Muggle fiction section to the library."

"Actually, Granger. That is a great idea! I don't know why that's never been thought of before," Pansy nodded. "You should suggest it to McGonagall."

"You know what? I think I will," Hermione answered, sounding full of determination.

Neville shot a glance to his right to take in Pansy's face and relaxed when he saw her. He hated feeling this way but knew that if he fought it too much, he would end up having a panic attack.

He allowed himself to reach out and touch her hand, just the bearest of touches with his little finger. Just to know that she was really there. As soon as his finger made contact, she pulled her hand away and then covered his with her own. The warmth and pressure eased the dread in his gut as he turned and smiled at her. She smiled back knowingly, as she squeezed his hand comfortingly.

"Luna? Were you able to predict anything in Xylomancy? The sticks didn't want to tell me anything." Anthony said, leaning forward so he could see Luna around Ginny and Theo.

"No, not a great deal, to be honest. However, the Robins told me that there would be sudden change and a reunion of old friends."

"The Robins?" Blaise asked nervously. "How did they tell you that?" He asked. Neville waited with the others for her answer.

"Ornithomancy, of course. Haven't you heard of it? They were flying to the left and were then joined by others." She explained as she looked at each other them. "The study of birds? It was very popular with the ancient Romans?" They all shook their head as they fell back into silence again.

"Enough of this!" Anthony said, finally. "I've had enough of all this bloody moping. Even if your family saw it. It's nineteen-ninety-eight! No one commits honour killings any more, surely?" They all looked around at each other, unwilling to disagree but unable to honestly agree either. "I think you're all over-reacting," He said as he rubbed Theo's back. He smiled before returning his attention back to the porridge.

"Post is here," Ginny announced as the owls filled the ceiling above them, their squeals and hoots filling the air as the post rained down at them. Neville was surprised to catch a bundle in his hand, tied with twine. Ginny received a couple as did Pansy and Blaise. It appeared that everyone received the same letter from The Saga once again. They all rolled their eyes at the letter as Luna opened her copy of The Quibbler.

"Anything interesting in there today, Luna?" Blaise asked

"Are Muggles in space, watching our every move?" She offered as she looked at the front page. She began listing other headlines as her eyes flew over the cover. "'Is Frankenstein's monster a possibility? Mad Muggles messing with mother nature.' 'A hybrid Hebridean habiting Harris.'"

"Wow, so just a few things then?" He chuckled as he looked through his own post.

"And Cordelia Ollivander is reopening her Grandfather's shop in Diagon Alley." There was an encouraging cheer to that as they all joined in discussing when they'd gotten their first wands.

Neville smiled as he went through his letters, There was the one from The Saga, one from his Gran and also one from George. He could tell as the envelope was lime green and the ink was purple. He smiled at it before putting it down. A scent of stewed carrots hit his nose, causing him to lean back as he frowned. There was something familiar about the smell, but he couldn't place it.

"I think someone's family are hinting that they need to eat extra veg. That stinks!" He said with a grimace, his nose wrinkling.

"It really does!" said Ginny with a wince.

"Oh, Draco's written," Pansy announced as she ripped open the envelope. "Blah blah, he's opened the offices at Hogsmeade. Blah blah, Harry is a menace with his mere presence. Blah blah, The Prophet should be back in circulation tomorrow." She announced cheerfully.

"That's great. Harry's written too" Hermione said as her eyes zoomed from left to right as she skimmed over the letter. "Apparently he went with Malfoy to St Mungo's? Is that right?" She asked. Neville nodded as he pulled open the letter from his Gran, He winced as he felt the start of a headache beginning to form behind his eyes.

"Apparently he whined the entire time but had a concussion and broken rib. Otherwise just cuts and bruises. Well, that's something at least. He should be healed already," Hermione muttered cheerfully before looking to Pansy and Theo.

"Are you alright?" Hermione asked as she focused on Theo. He sat staring at a letter propped between his hands as the colour washed out of his features.

"Theo? What's wrong?" Pansy asked as she reached out to take his hand. Neville felt the loss immediately as her hand left the back of his. He didn't begrudge Theo her comfort even as the need for her clawed against his organs.

"It's from your father," He muttered before looking up at Pansy. They all fell silent as they looked at the envelope.

"You'd better open it," Blaise advised from the other side of Hermione. "It'll only eat away at you if you don't. Better to get it out of the way." Theo nodded but didn't move to open it.

"We're here, and whatever the outcome. We'll deal with it together. He can't get you here at Hogwarts." Hermione offered.

He took a deep breath as he went to open it, but then shook his head. His hands trembled and the envelope along with it before he threw it down in frustration. He crossed his arms to stop the tremors and shook his head.

"I can't do it,"

"Come on, I'll do it," Pansy offered as she reached for the envelope. Anthony grabbed it before her hand could touch the paper.

"I'll do it, It is my fault after all. I didn't realise it would be such a big deal. My Mom and Dad were so cool about it all."

The scent still lingered as they argued over who would pen the letter. Why did it smell so familiar? He rotated his head against his neck as he tried to ease the growing tension building in his neck and head. Like a pulsing growth growing in his skull.

"It is my father, Anthony. I can usually read between the lines with him." Pansy offered as a reason to take the letter.

"I am Theo's boyfriend, so I should read it, as it regards our relationship," Anthony added cleverly. Pansy rolled her eyes as she shot back another retort.

"Please, will someone open the Godric-damned thing already! Seriously! Is anyone else getting a headache?" Ginny groaned irritably as she pushed away her unfinished breakfast.

"Yeah!" Blaise muttered in agreement with a frown.

"I am Theo's cousin,"

"Well, I'm holding it, so I'm opening it,"

Neville shook his head as he started opening the letter from his Gran. He glanced up as the others watched intently before looking back at his own post.

He read the shaky handwriting with ease after so many years of practice. It was the first letter he'd received from her since their meeting in Diagon Alley. She wrote asking about his school work and about his hair. She wondered whether he had managed to change it back yet. His eyes drifted to the lime envelope before he continued reading. She wrote about his Aunt Ursuline, who should have gone around for tea, but had ended up at St Mungo's after falling and breaking her hip. According to his Gran, she would be fine for Christmas dinner. He continued to read as she updated him on his plants. He was relieved that they all sounded like they were coping alright without him.

"I didn't know your father owned Hades financial," Anthony noted as he pulled out the letter. "It's on his office stationery, is that a good sign or a bad sign?"

"Depends, what does it say?" Anthony started to read the letter silently to himself, his eyes rushing through the words on the page.

Neville looked back at his letter. His Gran went on to say that she was going to have a sort through of his room. She enjoyed having a good clear out ready for the holiday, it was one of her traditions. Panic struck him at the thought. She would no doubt find the draw where he kept all the sweet wrappers. He couldn't bear the idea that she could throw them away.

The aroma suddenly got stronger, drawing Neville's attention from his Grans letter to the man before him. Anthony flicked the parchment to straighten the folds. Neville felt the knowledge click into place as he opened his mouth to shout.

"Stop!" He cried, throwing his own post down, forgotten in the rush.

He knew it was too late by the time he'd stood up. Anthony's eyes rolled back as his body became boneless and fell backwards. He crashed to the floor as he started to spasm and convulse.

Neville jumped over the bench and ripped off his robes, placing them under Anthony's head as he thrashed around. He looked up to find all eyes on him.

"Ginny, Clear the area! Luna, get Pomfrey!" He ordered, and it was like he was back in the war again.

Without question, they followed his orders. Ginny began barking at the younger students, moving them out of the way, allowing them some privacy. Blaise copied on the other side of the bench as they slowly emptied the hall. Most of the students knew the drill, having been in the war themselves.

"Hermione, Mc-" He started when he noticed that she had already left. He looked up to find Theo picking up the letter. "No, don't touch that! Put it down!" Theo dropped it to the bench.

"What's-" He muttered as his speech started to slur.

"Pansy, Can you make sure Anthony doesn't hurt his head." He looked up as Pansy sat, watching Theo as he started to sag in his seat. Her eyes were wide and watery as she began to panic. "Pansy." He shouted as The students moved around them. Giving them room to work. She stood up slowly as if the world was turning slower than she could understand.

"Pansy!" He barked. She jumped and looked at him. "Please, I need your help so I can help Theo," She nodded as she climbed over the bench, her hands shaking at her side.

"What do I do?" She asked.

"Just make sure he doesn't hurt himself. That's it." He said as she knelt by Anthony's head, "Don't touch his skin, just in case." She nodded a little too quickly as he squeezed her shoulder. He stood and moved to Theo, who was still floundering on the bench.

"What's happen-" he started again before his voice disappeared into something unintelligible.

"You've been poisoned, I'm going to lift you up and lie you on the floor, alright?" He didn't wait for an answer as he pulled Theo's limp body onto the floor and lay him on his side. He pulled off his shirt and jumper, rolled them up and placed them under his head so that when the spasms started, he would be able to protect his head.

It seemed to take an eternity for any of the teachers to come to their aid, even though they were only metres away at the other end of the hall. Hagrid was the first one to reach them with Flitwick running behind him trying to catch up.

"The letter is poisoned, Hemlock water dropwort," Neville rushed as he looked over at Anthony who had stopped thrashing.

"He's stopped moving, what do I do?" Pansy asked, and he could hear the desperation rising in her throat.

"Nothing we can do until Madam Pomfrey gets here." He said softly.

McGonagall swept in with Hermione on her tale shortly before Madam Pomfrey appeared with Luna.

Ginny and Blaise were slumped against one of the benches as they watched in horror.

"Granger, We need to get these boys to the hospital wing this instant." Madam Pomfrey cried as she and Hermione levitated them up. Neville watched as their lifeless bodies disappeared from view.

In a sudden rush, Neville remembered his throbbing head. He leant back and closed his eyes as he attempted to clear the woozy sensation.

"Longbottom, what happened?"

Neville pointed at the letter as a wave of dizziness caught him. He opened his mouth to speak but closed it again just as quickly as he fought not to return his breakfast. He rolled over and threw up, splashing the flagstones with his vomit as the throbbing intensified.

"No, no, no! Not you too!" He heard from behind him as Pansy rushed to his side, her eyes wide and desperate as she knelt down beside him, not sparing a glance to the vomit.

"I'm alright, honestly. It's just the fumes." He whispered as he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. She started to hyperventilate as she gripped his leg. He pulled her close as comforted her as she broke down. He hid her from view as much as possible, knowing how much she would hate that the others saw her like this.

"Everyone is to accompany me to the hospital wing. Immediately! Can you all walk?"

They all nodded, unable to speak as they followed her out of the hall.

Neville pushed to his feet but stumbled backwards as a wave of dizziness swept over him again. Pansy took his arm, helping him to stand. He threw his arm over her shoulders as she clung to him. He bent down unsteadily and grabbed his robes before following the rest to the hospital wing.


	69. Quick Thinking

They lounged and lay on the chairs and beds in one corner of the hospital wing as they waited for the effects of the fumes to clear from their system. McGonagall had given each of them a drink of a black liquid as they sat and waited. She told them it was charcoal, to neutralise any of the poison left within them.

Once it was clear that Neville was fine, Pansy sat on the end of the bed watching the curtains around Theo's bed waiting for an update. Her foot bounced against the floor in frantic impatience as she vibrated with worry.

There was a flurry of activity as Madam Pomfrey rushed around inside the curtains. Neville felt sick but not because of any after-effects of the poison's fumes, but because he'd known what the smell was. If only he had remembered it sooner, he might have been able to stop this from happening.

Waiting for news seemed to take an eternity. Still, eventually, the bustling stopped, and the already quiet hospital wing became deathly silent. They all looked up, sensing that something had changed. Pansy almost jumped up and ran to her as the Matron appeared outside of the curtain. They peered around at her as she and McGonagall whispered furiously.

"Did you see his face?" McGonagall asked. Pomfrey nodded.

"Hemlock Water Dropwort," She confirmed. "As Longbottom diagnosed,"

"His parents will need to be contacted." Pomfrey nodded again. "What of Mr Nott?"

"He's Stable," It was McGonagall's turn to nod as they shared a long look. Madam Pomfrey turned to leave as McGonagall saw them watching. She took in a deep breath to steady herself as she approached them.

"Are they alright, Professor?" Hermione asked as they all either stood or leant forward, eager for news.

"How's Theo?" Pansy asked desperately.

"Mr Nott is stable if you wish to go and see him?" Pansy nodded as she stood up off the bed.

"What about Anthony?" Ginny asked nervously.

McGonagall looked down at her clasped hand and pursed her lips. Neville thought she looked as though she were about to cry.

"Mr Goldstein… well, he… Mr Goldstein has sadly… passed on." She whispered as she tried to retain her control.

Ginny collapsed back down into her seat as Hermione covered her mouth. Pansy stood looking lost, she seemed to look everywhere between her hands and Neville and the curtain where Theo lay. After a moment, she turned and pushed through the curtain and out of view.

"I have contacted the Ministry, and the Aurors will be here shortly to do a full investigation." She took a deep and heavy breath as she looked at them all. "You are excused from your studies for the day. If I can request that you remain on campus so that the Aurors will be able to find you and ask their questions.

They all nodded solemnly as they got up to leave.

"Professor, Is it alright if I stay?" Neville asked. Her hawkish eyes darted to the curtain and back again as she nodded.

"Of course, Longbottom. And thank you for your quick thinking in the hall." She patted his shin before she turned away. The rest left the room wearily, letting the door ease closed behind them.

Neville stood up and walked towards the curtain. His feet seemed to boom loudly with each gentle step he took. It was dream-like the way that the closer he go to the curtain, the further away it felt.

Finally, within touching distance, he pushed his hand through the join and parted the material. Pansy sat on the bed as she held his hand. Theo looked as good as dead as he lay pale and still against the cotton sheets. Pansy didn't even bother looking at him as he sat in the chair next to them. He placed his hand on her back, but she moved away from him.

It hurt that she would voluntarily pull away, but he tried not to let it show as he sat back in the chair and looked at his fingers.

"I'm so sorry, love,"

"So you should be," she growled through gritted teeth. "Why couldn't you have realised earlier?" She whispered as the tears started to fall down her cheeks.

"I wish I had." He whispered as he ushed a shaking hand through his hair.

"Wishes are no good now," she hissed.

"I'm sorry."

She started to cry as she stroked Theo's hand. Neville stood up and pulled her in for a hug hoping that she would accept his comfort. She fought him at first as her tears increased.

"Don't be nice to me!" She cried "Leave me alone," He shook his head as she relaxed into his arms. She started to sob with full force as she let go. He held her as she shuddered and struggled for breath, stroking her hair as he closed his eyes, his own emotions threatening to escape too. Slowly, she calmed down, and her cheeks dried as she remained in his arms.

He soothed her as much as he could whilst knowing that there was absolutely nothing that he could do to make things better. "You need to leave me alone," She whispered seriously.

"Leave you? Why?" he asked as he looked down at her. She pulled away and looked at him.

"You really don't see it do you?" He looked at her and shook his head. "Fucking naive Gryffindor!" She muttered again, but this time the anger was gone. "This is us," She pointed to Theo and then the far curtain where Anthony's remains lay. "If we stay together and my father finds out, It'll either be you or me in that bed, if we survive at all. Do you really think that he wouldn't do this to us too?" She started to cry again. "I couldn't bear it if I had to watch that happen to you, I'd go mad." She whimpered.

He wanted to tell her that it wasn't and that they were safe, but he knew she was right. It would break him beyond repair if she was hurt.

"Emotions are running high at the moment, and we've just gone through a shock. Let's get through this first and then discuss it?" He offered carefully. She nodded as she pressed closer against him.

"I'm sorry," She muttered against his chest. "I'm just so…" She broke off, but he knew how she felt.

"Scared?" He offered, and she nodded.

"Me too." He nodded as he held her against his chest. Scared was an understatement, He was terrified, of losing her.

The common room was deserted as they sat on the sofa and chairs that surrounded the fire. The room looked dingy and lonely, even as the light poured in through the windows. Like a room that hadn't been used for a long time. Silence enveloped them as each were trapped in their own thoughts. Ginny and Luna had accompanied Hermione and Blaise back after leaving the hospital wing, and now they clung to each other for comfort as they gazed into the flames.

Even Hermione watched the flames instead of throwing herself into her homework. As Blaise twisted her hair around his fingers. Pansy curled up in Neville's lap as he threw his head back to look at the ceiling. Her words echoed in his mind. Why couldn't he have realised earlier that the letter was laced? He pinched the bridge of his nose as he closed his eyes. It would always be something that would play on his mind. Perhaps he could have saved Anthony had he been quicker.

He took a deep breath as the emotions threatened to overwhelm him. He felt so tired and worn out. He felt exactly as he had done in that corridor when he just wanted to give up and rest. His breath caught in his throat as a sob threatened to escape. He coughed to hide the fact. Pansy looked up from her chewed nails and studied his face before placing a hand against his cheek.

"It wasn't your fault!" She said as her eyes started to water again. He shook his head as he looked away. He rested his chin on his hand as he chewed at his thumbnail. "You saved Theo's life! What I said earlier, I didn't mean it. We all study Herbology and potions. One of us should have recognised it!" He nodded without looking at her. He knew she hadn't meant it, but it hurt all the same, especially as it echoed his own thoughts. "Please talk to me," He nodded and patted her as he went to stand up.

"Anyone want tea?" They all nodded without lifting their eyes from the fire. Pansy climbed off him awkwardly so he could stand. He jumped up and headed for the kitchen without looking back to see if he was alone or not. Once alone in the kitchen and out of sight, he leant on the worktops and tried to breathe. He could feel the beginnings of a panic attack building and knowing it was coming seemed to make it rush at him all the faster.

He felt the build-up of nervous energy first as nausea swirled in his gut. He tried pacing and shaking out his hands as he tried to syphon off the power. He turned around and found Pansy stood watching as she wrung her hands nervously.

"Are you talking to me?" She asked nervously, and he nodded, unable to talk. His breath was too busy trying to keep him calm. Trying to hide his turmoil, he turned away, hoping she wouldn't see what was going on. He needed to be strong for her. "Are you sure?" She asked as she got closer.

His lungs started screaming for more air as his breaths gradually weren't enough. He began to hyperventilate as his chest burned, and his eyes focused down to a pinpoint. He felt hands on him, trying to turn him around, but he fought them. He didn't want her to see him like this. She was already talking about them splitting up, if she saw him like this, it would force her hand. No one could want someone so flawed and slow.

"Neville, Please?" He shook his head again as he pulled away. Pressing his back against the wall, he slid down it as he placed his head between his knees. The world had narrowed down, like looking the wrong way down a telescope. He tried to focus on the sensations of the air pulling into his lungs as his heart raced and pounded.

He felt a hand on both his knees as he tried to breathe through the attack.

"Just breathe, you're safe. Pansy murmured as she kneaded his legs.

He felt the sobs working their way free as he tried to hold them in. "Let it all out," She whispered again. The floodgates opened with her words as the struggling breaths pulled the tears with them.

It seemed like an eternity until he was back in the room and felt so drained that he could bearly keep his eyes open. He looked at Pansy, who stared back at him.

"I'm sorry," He started

"Don't you dare," She argued. "If it weren't for you, Anthony, Theo and probably myself would be dead. I went to pick up that letter."

"I'm sorry," He began again as he motioned to himself. He felt so ashamed of letting go and making such a scene.

"It just reminds me that you're real." She snorted before the smile drained from her face. "What I said in the hospital, I meant it. I would go mental if I lost you. That being said. I would go crazy if I saw you with another woman."

"Same,"

"I'm not into women," She offered weakly.

"You know what I meant."

"I don't know what to do because if we carry on as we are my father will find out, and we'll end up the same way!"

He shrugged. It sounded melodramatic as he thought about it, but it was no less true. He would face the risks from Mr Parkinson any day over losing her.

"My feelings are that I would die before I left your side," She sighed with exasperation as she narrowed her eyes at him.

"Why do you make it so difficult to leave you alone?" Neville shrugged.

"Because you love me?" He asked. She closed her eyes and chuckled before she nodded.

"I really do," Pansy looked up at him, dolefully, "And that's that problem," She took his hand and sighed as she stroked his knuckles with her thumb. He waited for her to say more, but she didn't. She just looked at his hands as she held him.

"I really do too," He whispered as he squeezed her fingers. She smiled.

She raised his hand to her mouth and kissed his knuckles before holding his hand against her red and blotchy face.

"I hope we're not intruding?" Came a voice from the entrance of the kitchen. Pansy gracefully rose before offering him a hand. He took it as he pulled himself up off the floor. He looked around to the voice and grinned.

Harry stood in the kitchen, looking around in awe as he dropped a bag down.

"Mate, what are you doing here?" Neville asked as he rushed towards him and hugged him. The shorter man smiled and smacked his back as they embraced.

"We're the Aurors that have been assigned to your case."

"We?" Neville asked, confused.

"Rons here too," He motioned back into the living room where Ron and Ginny hugged.

Neville let out a breath and smiled. "I'm so glad you're both here!"


	70. Reinforcements

A huge sense of relief flooded him as he pulled Harry into another hug. He felt like reinforcements had finally arrived. He didn't have to hold the fort alone any more. He knew that all of his friends were more than capable of looking after themselves, but it didn't stop him feeling responsible for them. Harry's 'Auror Evan's' persona evaporated before his eyes, leaving some short stubble around his jaw and tightly cropped hair on top. His eyes were also back to the vibrant green he remembered.

"Is it Potter or Evans today?" Neville asked with a smirk.

"It's Potter today. It's not like I could fool you guys for long! And Ginny and Hermione already know," Neville nodded in understanding.

"Bloody Hell! I know he's the chosen one and all, but I'm starting to feel like the third wheel!" He looked up as Ron stepped in. He pulled Ron in too and hugged them both.

"It's so great to see you two. Together I mean." He smiled as he let them both go. He realised that he'd seen both of them separately, but this was different, they were home, and they were there to help.

"It's great to see you too, Nev!" Harry replied as they all separated. "This common room is great! I almost wish I'd come back," He said as he looked around the kitchen.

"I still think you both should have come back and finished your final year," Hermione muttered as she and the others followed them into the room. They all sat around one of the tables as Harry and Ron perched at the breakfast bar. Neville turned and smiled at Pansy as they started on the tea.

The two men shrugged as if they had nothing more to say on the matter. Ron rolled his eyes and smirked.

"Wow, It's not like we've had this conversation before!" Ron announced sarcastically. It was Hermione's turn to roll her eyes.

"Have you spoken to McGonagall already?" she asked as Blaise stroked her back. They nodded, sharing a glance.

"Yeah, we've come straight from her office," Harry confirmed.

"So you've seen the letter too?" Neville asked. They both turned and nodded to him before turning their attention back to the others.

"Nasty piece of work, that!" Ron confirmed. They all nodded.

"So, what do you need from us?" Ginny asked.

"You all saw everything, We need to know what happened. Details matter," Ron explained.

Harry nodded before he spoke. "Yeah, The smallest detail may be hugely important. We also know about the article in the Saga, so if we can go through people's thoughts and behaviours since yesterday," Harry added. They all nodded.

"Right, so was Theo and Anthony aware of the article in yesterdays Saga?" They all nodded.

"How were you able to get a copy? McGonagall said it was banned from being delivered to the grounds."

"Hermione and Blaise went down to Hogsmeade and brought it back with them,"

Hermione looked at Blaise and nodded, but her lips tightened as she clenched her jaw.

"Weren't you guys in Hogsmeade on Saturday too?" Harry asked as he turned around to Neville and Pansy.

They all nodded.

"We were all there together on Saturday until Nev and Pans left to see Draco, and then It was just Mione and Blaise on Sunday," Ginny explained.

Neville brought the drinks over and placed them on the table and breakfast bar before they sat down. They all murmured their thanks as silence fell over them.

"So why the repeat visit?" Ron asked, his eyes all for Hermione.

"Repeat visit?" She asked,

"Yes, why go to Hogsmeade twice?"

"I needed to collect some things,"

"Couldn't you have done that on Saturday?"

"I forgot something," Hermione muttered.

"That's unlike you," Ron replied.

"Drop it, Ron!" Neville offered. "It's not relevant, trust me."

"Just seems a bit strange, that's all." He said as his eyes moved between Hermione and Blaise.

"It's none of your business," Blaise added and Harry cringed.

"This is a murder investigation, I'd say it is."

"Fine!" Hermione raised her voice. "Blaise and I had to visit and get a morning after draught, and I didn't want the world and his wife to know. Are you happy now?"

The silence was palpable as Ron stared at her. His mouth opened and closed several times, making him look like a goldfish.

"You can be such an insensitive arse!" Ginny snorted.

Ron glared at her before turning back to Hermione.

"A morning after draught?" He asked before clearing his throat.

Hermione closed her eyes and nodded as though she were trying to hide from the embarrassment, she twiddled with her fingers nervously.

"Yes! Honestly, Ron!" She huffed.

"And that was for someone else in the dorm, was it?" He asked hopefully as his eyes darted to Ginny.

"I'm with Luna, you moron!" She snorted.

His eyes turned to Pansy hopefully. She snorted derisively and rolled her eyes.

"Look elsewhere, Weasley!" she muttered with a glare.

"No, it was for me," Hermione admitted as she blushed. He looked like he was about to open his mouth and say more, but Harry interrupted.

"As you said, Neville. It's not really relevant," He smiled as he tried to placate everyone. "So, you went into Hogsmeade, and you spotted the paper. Then you brought it back?"

They all nodded except for Ginny and Luna, who hadn't been there.

"They rushed in, gathered us all together and then showed us the paper." Neville explained "We talked about it, explained to Anthony why it was so serious, then Pansy took him to see McGonagall,"

Harry nodded as he rubbed at his stubble thoughtfully.

"I met with Ginny and Luna later. We were due to study at the library. I told them about the article when I got there." Hermione added.

"And you felt alright after…y'know…?" Ron asked.

"Bloody Hell, Ronald Weasley! Will you just drop it!" Ginny cursed crossly. Blaise stiffened, and Hermione glared at him, but before she could chide him, he interrupted. "I was only asking, I've heard that they taste disgusting, and can leave you a little… fragile, after…" Hermione seemed to soften, and she nodded. "I just wanted to… y'know, make sure you were alright… Sorry..." He mumbled despondently

"It was, but we've been through worse…" She said as a sad smile came to her lips. Ron nodded in understanding until Ginny spoke.

"We didn't see Anthony or Theo until breakfast this morning," She said as she pointed to her herself and Luna.

"No wonder he wasn't able to see anything in the twigs," Luna muttered.

"What was that, Luna?" Harry asked softly.

"He said he was struggling to predict anything using Xylomancy."

"Divination using sticks and twigs" Hermione clarified, Harry and Ron nodded their thanks as they turned their attention back to Luna.

"He couldn't see anything in the twigs, because there was nothing left to predict," She commented before she looked off, her eyes starting to fill up.

"Shush," Ginny comforted as she took her hand.

"I'm sorry, I know this is shit! It's the last any of us need after what we've all been through. We need to get this information so that we can hopefully find the culprit and deal with them. However, we need to be thorough and see if there's anything we've missed. It appears quite a clear cut case, but we have to check."

They all nodded.

"When you say clear cut, you mean to say that it looks quite probable that my father is the murderer. That his motive was to stop Theo shaming the family, and in his attempt to kill my cousin, he killed Anthony instead?" Pansy asked bluntly. Neville reached out and took her trembling hand as the others averted their gaze. Ron and Harry looked at each other before turning more to them.

"It's too early to tell for sure, and as of yet, no arrests have been made. However, I'm afraid it does look that way. Current evidence points strongly in that direction, with the headed parchment and following that potentially humiliating article... It wouldn't be the first attempted honour killing we've dealt with…" Harry added softly.

"I'm still not happy about that letter," Ron muttered. Harry shook his head in agreement. "Is there any way anyone else could have gotten any of your father's stationery? Stolen it from his office?" Ron asked.

Pansy considered the question and nodded. "I suppose, it's just kept in his bureau in his office, it's never locked as all of his records and accounts are kept in a separate vault. Any of his clients could take it if my father was out of the room." She said quietly. "Have you spoken to my father yet?" They shook their heads.

"We haven't, but there should be an Auror with him now, conducting their own interview. We were tasked with coming here to speak with you, as we're school friends. Robards thought it might be slightly easier on you to see a familiar face." Harry explained. She nodded in understanding.

"What I'm surprised by is how you were able to react so fast, Nev! How did you know what it was and where it was?" Ron asked, turning to Neville.

"It was the smell," Neville explained. "As soon as the letters dropped, there was a smell of stewed veg, like carrots. I recognised it, but I think only at face value. I started getting a headache but put it down to not having slept well the night before."

"Not sleeping well? And why was that?" Harry asked. Neville glanced at Pansy, who smiled encouragingly.

"I had a particularly bad dream, I woke up at about four o'clock."

"It was before that. It must have been, cause… you said you were talking to Lady Isadore at about three," Pansy said. She turned to him so that the Aurors couldn't see her face. She pleaded with him with her eyes as he studied her face. Neville nodded.

"Lady Isadore?" Harry asked, a frown of confusion.

"The portrait that guards the girl's dorms, upstairs," Hermione explained.

"And then you returned to bed?" Ron asked. Neville nodded.

"Alone?" Neville swallowed and nodded again.

"Can anyone vouch for you?" Ron asked as his eyes darted to Pansy.

"Lady Isadore, oh, and Terry was there when we woke, I mean when I woke up. He saw me."

Harry narrowed his eyes as he looked at them. "That's what my report will say, however, Pansy might want to teach you to lie better than that,"

"I, I'm not lying."

"Neville!" Harry said as he raised a disbelieving eyebrow "Come on! It's us you're talking to!"

Neville looked down so that they couldn't get anything more from him.

"It's my fault, I don't want my name in the report. I'm sure you can understand my hesitation considering what has happened?" Pansy said as she turned to Harry.

"I can assure you that anything that goes into the report will be classified within the department unless needed for evidence."

"So, let's say someone in your department is loyal to the blood purists or even the Death Eaters, and they mention it to my father, you don't think he will retaliate?" Pansy asked, crossing her arms.

"There is no one in the force that is loyal to the purists as there used to be. Minister Shackllebolt has done his utmost to weed out corruption and bias, The department is clean."

"Off the record, I found Neville at three talking to Isadore. My bed is the closest to the dorm door, and it woke me up. I joined Neville in his bed when he returned back to his dorms. However, Boot didn't see me this morning."

"You spent the night with Longbottom?" Ron asked incredulously as he raised an eyebrow.

Pansy glanced at Neville and smirked before straightening her face and turning to Ron again.

"Such an arse!" Ginny muttered loud enough for them all to hear her.

"And?" Pansy asked carefully. "Is that a problem?"

"No, erm it's just… No… Nothing." He said as he cleared his throat.

"I thought so," She replied.

"Anyway, Neville. How did you know it was Hemlock water dropwort?"

"As I said, I started getting a headache out of nowhere, as did Ginny and Blaise. It bothered me that the smell reminded me of something, and it clicked."

"And that's when you cried out to Anthony to put down the letter?"

Neville nodded. "But I was too late, he had already started convulsing when I told him."

"Then what happened?" Neville shrugged,

"It was all a bit of a blur, to be honest," he mumbled as he scratched the back of is head.

"Neville jumped over the table and started to look after Anthony. He told us all what to do and cleared the hall." Ginny explained.

"Then, when Theo started fitting, he lifted him down and put him into the recovery position so that he couldn't hurt his head. If he hadn't have jumped in, Theo would be dead." Hermione added.

Neville looked down at his hands, feeling awkward and unworthy of the praise.

"We then moved them to the hospital wing, and you know the rest." Blaise finished.

Harry and Ron looked at each other before turning back to them. "I'm pretty sure that Theo is only alive right now because he got such a small dose of the poison and that's down to you Neville. Nice catch!" Harry admitted.

"They'll love those herbology skills in the force, Nev." He nodded without looking up.

"Is there anything else you need?"

"We're also investigating the Saga,"

"Do you have any letters or anything from them?"

They all looked at each other and nodded.

"We all received letters from them today, but I don't think any of us had the opportunity to open them," Blaise muttered as he pulled his post out from his back pocket. He found the letter and handed it over. Luna stood up and wandered into the living room and grabbed her bag. When she came back, she pulled out and handed them a stack.

"Is that all the letters you've had?" Ginny asked in amazement?" Luna nodded.

"Unlike you, I keep them all. They might be needed." She said as she handed the pile to Harry.

Ginny shrugged and nodded. "It's more satisfying to shred them though," She smirked.

"Or burn them," Blaise muttered, bringing a smirk to Ginny's face.

"Oh, Luna, I could kiss you! These are brilliant. Exactly what we need," Harry said excitedly.

"Hands off, you! I know you're this big, hot-shot celebrity, but you can't just roll up in here and pick a girl. She's taken y'know!" Ginny smirked again. Harry grinned and rolled his eyes. It was clear that their relationship hadn't been damaged by their split. They seemed closer than ever.

"I'm sure Harry wouldn't be interested in me anyway, I'm not tall enough," Luna said knowingly.

"Or blond enough," Ginny agreed.

"Or man enough," Pansy added.

Harry smirked, but the blush in his cheeks was more than enough to show that he was embarrassed by the insinuation.

"Please, guys!" Ron pleaded "No more, I have to work with him!"

"We're only kidding… kinda." Ginny complained in good humour.

"Right we'd better get going. I'll keep you updated with everything," Harry said before he turned to Pansy. Ignoring Ginny and the others as they chuckled and teased. He offered his hand to her. She took it cautiously. "If you need anything, let me know, and we'll see what we can do," He looked to Neville and then back to Pansy again. "Look after him, He's family, and he's dear to all of us!"

She turned to Neville and studied him before she nodded and turned back to Harry.

"Don't worry, I know his worth, and he is very dear to me too!" She smiled. Neville felt the blush spread through his skin as he looked down and smiled.

"But really, if you have any problems with your dad or anything, feel free to fire-call me. McGonagall said that this fire was set up to be able to send and receive them," They all nodded.

"Come on, Robards is waiting," Ron said as he picked up their bags. "Let me know when we're doing that get together, If not, I'll see you at The Burrow."

They all nodded as they saw them out of the common room.

They stood for a moment staring at the door as though it was about to open any minute. Suddenly, as if roused from a dream, Hermione turned around. She grabbed her bag and set off for the kitchen before spreading her work out on the table.

As though triggering the movement in the others. Ginny and Luna returned to the armchair by the fire before collapsing and huddling in on each other.

Blaise, Neville and Pansy aimlessly looked around as they decided what to do. After a moment, Blaise let out a breath and shrugged. "If you can't beat them, join them," before collecting his bag and joining Hermione in the kitchen.

"What do you want to do?" He asked quietly as he tried to grab her hand as it dangled by her side. She wordlessly gripped his hand and led him to the sofa before pushing him onto it. He settled himself as she lay and pulled her legs up off the floor, curling them beneath her and pressing herself closer into him. He waited for a moment as she got comfortable, and when she stilled, he relaxed and stroked her hair. It wasn't what he had expected, but they were together for this, that's all that mattered.


	71. An Italian Persona

By Friday there was still no sign of Theo waking up. Madam Pomfrey had suggested that the concoction she had created to fight off the poison also induced sleep whilst the patient recovered. They all figured that the poisons damage, regardless of how small the amount of toxin absorbed, must have caused considerable damage.

Neville had been by Theo's side when Anthony's parents had arrived to collect him. His mother's wails had been heartbreaking and made him feel even worse as he pretended not to hear them. He huddled further into his book, rereading the same line over and over again as he tried to blot the sobs out.

Madam Pomfrey had introduced them, much to his irritation and embarrassment. His mother had cried and had hugged him whilst his father had stood back before calmly offering his hand. Neville cringed. He hadn't known what to say, except to apologise for not being quick enough to catch it. They had asked about Theo too, Anthony had told them about their relationship in his letters but had yet to introduce them. He'd told them all about his new friends and his parents were finally happy to meet one of them

It had been a very intense and uncomfortable few minutes before they finally left. He paused for a moment before looking back at Theo. There was no sign of him waking up, and he'd already been there for over an hour. He gripped his book and bag and left.

The halls were empty, as expected during dinner time. He hadn't been able to eat anything since it happened, nothing of consequence anyway. He shook his head and headed to the library, He needed to pick up a few books and work on his dissertation.

The library was surprisingly busy, which confused him. He walked in and looked around. He didn't really want to be found, he just wanted to sit quietly and work. Since the incident, he had gained another level of celebrity within the school, especially amongst the girls. He'd been pestered, followed and stared at for most of the week. Much to both his and Pansy's irritation. They'd had their first row about it a few days prior.

She didn't like all the girls staring at him, and openly flirting with him as though she wasn't there. He had done everything he could to dissuade them, but they just kept coming back for more. Even now, he could feel their eyes on him as he passed through the stacks.

He finally found a small desk tucked up into a corner, out of view and sighed in relief as he flopped into the chair. He smirked slightly to himself as he remembered their make up session. Apparently, jealousy brought out the possessiveness in her. He was in no doubt that he was hers, the love bite, just visible above his collar was her brand, and he had left it there as a reminder to others that he was taken.

With his books spread out, he was ready. He rubbed at the stubble growing along his jaw as he started to plan his essay.

He lost track of time as the words flowed from his quill and onto the page as if there was no barrier between them. An act that could and would never be repeated for a Potions essay even if he tried. He was jolted from his concentration by a giggle and whispers. He looked up to find Hermione and Blaise pressed against the bookshelves as they kissed passionately. He smiled and looked down again before clearing his throat.

He was happy to see that they were getting on better after the emergency at the weekend, but now they were like a contagious rash – all over each other.

"Oh, Neville." Hermione stammered as they sprang apart.

"Didn't see you there," Blaise frowned disappointedly as Hermione smoothed her uniform down in front.

"Sorry to interrupt… your studies," Neville smirked back as he glanced down. They all chuckled before someone shushed them from somewhere else in the Library. They cringed conspiratorially as they joined him at his table.

"Neville, You haven't eaten again!" Hermione chided as she looked at the work in front of him. "I know that I advocate hard work but not at the expense of your health. You must be starving,"

He shook his head.

"Pansy was looking for you, by the way," Blaise muttered as he pushed Hermione's hair away from her face. Neville nodded but made no attempt to move. Blaise sighed. "We're not getting rid of you are we?" He chuckled. Neville smirked and shook his head.

"Pansy isn't really looking for me, is she?" He asked knowingly.

"Well, she didn't say as much…"

"I'll go in a minute, and then you can have this little nook all to yourself, I just need to get this paragraph down."

"Well, while we're here, I need to borrow that book on Greek Isopsephy. I'll be right back."

Hermione got up and disappeared into the bookcases and Blaise sighed as he watched her go.

"I hope you're not fed up of her already?" Neville asked without looking up from his textbook.

"No, the complete opposite. Looks like I owe you and Pans an apology. That perfume really did the trick. She was always so uptight before, holding back from me, but now…"

"Enough, please! She's like my sister!" Neville complained

"What I mean to say is I don't think she trusted me before, but now, she's in it properly."

"That's great," Neville offered with genuine enthusiasm.

"I was thinking of trying to sneak her into the Parkinson's Yule party- if it's still going ahead with everything that's happened…"

"You heard Pansy before! Hermione would be lynched!"

"That's only if they found out who she was… you should come too! You are a pureblood after all!"

"I'm a blood traitor, remember? Blood status doesn't matter beyond that."

"Again, only if they knew it was you, I could introduce you as one of my Italian friends, How is your Italian?" He asked with a smirk.

"Cattivo," Neville replied with a wince. His Gran had tried to teach him languages like a good pureblood; however, he had been dreadful at all of them. He remembered a few phrases here and there of Italian and French, but nothing ever really stuck.

"Molto bene!" Blaise said encouragingly. "Although I would suggest not talking, your northern accent seeps through into your vowels,"

Neville rolled his eyes and smiled. "I'm not going."

"You are! I'll make up a whole persona for you. It's a masked ball, you'll be unrecognisable!" Blaise smirked as his gaze took on a distant look. "Marcelo? No…" he shook his head "Mateo, yes! Mateo Palmieri, The Palmieri's are a small pureblood family, rather reclusive. That should work well." He muttered to himself as he looked Neville up and down while he assessed him. "Yes, Mr Mateo Palmieri, mysterious pureblood wizards from Italy. A man of very few words. You were born in Venice."

"Stop!" Neville chuckled before being shushed again. "I said I'm not going,"

"Are you seriously telling me that after not seeing Pansy for a week. You would willingly turn down the opportunity to see her in something that would kill an old wizard with a dodgy heart at thirty paces?" He asked incredulously.

"Blaise!" He laughed.

"Are you even human? I know she's like my sister, but come on! Even I had to look twice,"

Neville dropped his quill and rubbed at his face as he tried to think of another good argument against it. His mind went blank but for an image of Pansy in a luxurious robe, flashing all sorts of flesh. He swallowed at the thought. "There he is," Blaise laughed as he pointed at him "There's the hot-blooded Englishman I knew was in there. Or should I say 'hot-blooded Italian?" He chuckled as Neville rolled his eyes.

"This is such a bad idea!"

"No It's a great idea! Just think of her face when you see her, She'll be hotter for you than she ever has been, women like risk-takers, especially when the risk is for them."

"It may not even be going ahead," Neville muttered in an attempt to calm the Italian wizard before him and also the beating of his heart. The thought of seeing her during the holidays was tempting, of course. But the idea of getting her in trouble, made him hesitate.

"I've seen wizards get away with many things, and I've been thinking," Blaise looked around and leant forward.

"What?" Neville asked as he leant forward too.

"I don't think that Mr Parkinson did poison Theo…"

"Then, who?" He asked with a frown.

Blaise shrugged and leant back as he cooly pushed his hands into his pockets. "Even Weasley and Potter are suspicious about the letter, maybe it was another pureblood family, trying to muscle in on his business? Maybe not, who knows?" He shrugged again.

Before Neville could say more, Hermione reappeared with three large tomes which she slammed on the desk, almost upsetting his ink well.

"Sorry, Neville," She added as she opened her bag and fished out her books.

"I take it that we're actually going to study now?" Blaise asked wryly.

"That is sort of what libraries are for?" Neville teased and couldn't help the chuckle when Blaise glared at him.

"Shut it, Mateo!"

"Mateo?" Hermione asked absently as she greedily read through the pages f the first volume.

"Don't worry about it," Neville said as he started to pack away his books. "Enjoy your studies…" He teased back as he began to walk away.

"I'm going to tell everyone you have a small cock!" the darker wizard threatened in a whisper.

"I wish you would, might stop the girls following me around!" Neville whisper shouted back. They grinned at each other before he lost sight of them.

He traversed the quiet corridors as he followed his feet back to the common room. His mind explored the idea of gatecrashing the Parkinsons party. Surprising Pansy and sneaking off to some quiet wing of their huge mansion to claim her as his own. He was smiling and slightly hard by the time he got to the common room. It was busy, as usual as he looked around, but Pansy was nowhere to be seen. He trudged up the stairs and stopped outside the boy's dorms before glancing up the steps.

"I believe I did see the beautiful miss Parkinson head that way, young Longbottom." Sir Patrick declared from his painting.

"Thank you, Sir Patrick," Neville smiled.

"My pleasure, it's a joy to see people living their lives to the fullest." He smiled warmly. "Now, do not keep the lady waiting." Neville smiled and nodded as he climbed the steps.

"Good evening Lady Isadore, Comment ca va?" He asked in his best attempt at French.

"Oh my young lord, please, forgive me. My ears are scandalised. The way you massacre such a beautiful language, c'est impardonnable!" She moped as she covered her ears.

He laughed and rolled his eyes.

"My apologies, I promise, it will not happen again!" He assured her with a bow. "Is Pansy in?"

"She is indeed." The painting acknowledged as she flicked her fan open. "I suppose you would like to gain entrance?" she asked with a sly glance before she started to fan herself.

"If you would allow such decorous behaviour?" Neville asked playfully.

"I wouldn't dream of doing such a thing! Young sir, you are naughty!" She said as the portrait started to move away from the wall.

"Thank you," He smiled as he slipped through.

The short corridor remained unchanged as he pressed forward, knowing that Pansy was just on the other side of the wall. He let his fingers trail along the stone as he turned the corner.

Just as before, an empty room with four beds stood in front of him. He noted how the others were open where Pansy's bed curtains were pulled shut. He wondered whether she was asleep already. It seemed unlikely.

He looked around, but the dorms seemed deserted, and the common room had been full. He shrugged as he stepped closer to the deep forest-green curtains and drew them back slowly. It took his mind a moment to register what he was watching, but his body reacted immediately.

"About time you showed up…" She panted into the dark as Neville swallowed. He kicked off his shoes and almost dived in letting the curtain fall back behind him.


	72. All Good Things Must Come

Enclosed in the dim light, he could see enough that he was instantly aroused but dark enough that colours took on a softer tone, like a sepia photograph.

He positioned himself alongside her as she lay, lips parted and eyes closed. He propped his head upon his elbow so that he could watch her chest and hips rise and fall. His eyes followed the dips and curves of her body as her hand disappeared into her knickers.

He groaned at the sight of it, her stocking-clan legs writhing and rubbing against each other, the dark lace chafing against her milky skin with a sinful swish. She had hitched her skirt up to her waist to expose the matching black panties. Her school shirt was open just enough to allow her unoccupied hand to slide in and flash his yet more lace.

She sighed desperately as her fingers moved underneath the thin, almost transparent material. His eyes watched, hypnotised by the moving fingers as she moaned.

He pressed his mouth next to her ear, feeling emboldened and naughty.

"You can't come yet, not unless I say so." She shivered but nodded. "And I want you to tell me what you're doing and how it feels."

She opened her eyes and looked at him. "If you want stroke by stroke account, why don't you just watch?" She asked, a dare in her eyes.

"I could do that, but I want to hear you tell me," He loved hearing her breath catch when she was close, as well as hearing her sigh and moan. The thought of him watching her as she told him what she was doing was almost too much to bear. Seeming to know this, she smirked and rolled her eyes, "What are you doing?"

She closed her eyes and frowned as if to concentrate.

"I'm using my fingers to stroke myself," she said awkwardly, but he didn't care, hearing her tell him was one of the most decadent things he had ever heard. He kissed her shoulder through her shirt.

"How does it feel?" He whispered.

"It feels nice, tickles, but good."

"What do you think about?" His hands ached to help, but he kept them firm.

"You," she replied with a tiny, sweet smile.

"What about me?" He asked as his heartbeat quickened.

"Everything! I think about the waterfall, the first time I stayed in your bed..."

"You mean, when I used my tongue?" He whispered. She shivered and groaned at the idea, gooseflesh rising along her skin.

"Mmm," she groaned as she rolled her hips against the bed. He watched, transfixed as her hand seemed to speed up, pushing back and forth against herself. "Oh, and the other day in the common room" She sighed her back arching slightly as she gave herself more purchase.

"What am I doing, in your fantasy?"

"Everything" she smiled as she pushed her spare hand into her blouse.

Neville cleared his throat as he focused on her chest.

"You are so beautiful" he whispered as he crept his hand closer, unable to keep them away any longer. He gripped one glorious mound of flesh, feeling the taut nipple beneath. She jumped in surprise before opening her eyes.

"Who said I wanted help?" She smirked.

"Do you want me to stop?"

"Don't you fucking dare!" She sighed as he grazed her nipple with his thumbnail. She jerked as though hit by lightning. "Salazar!" She cursed

"You said I was doing everything and yet it appears you don't have enough hands," He whispered. Pansy shook her head, speechless as she huffed against his hand. "I can help more if you'd like?" He added. She shook her head and opened her eyes.

"I want to see you," she breathed back.

He felt a shiver of fear and excitement tingle up his spine. He had certainly never done anything like this before, and it seemed showier than he was comfortable with, but if she could lie there and do it, then he guessed he could too.

"Play?" he asked, just to clarify. Pansy nodded. He took a deep breath and nodded as he reached his hand down to his fly. His cock was uncomfortably hard as he tried to undo the fastenings to free it. Once his trousers were undone, he sighed with relief as his cock sprang free. He released it from his boxers and gripped it, groaning with comfort and pleasure as he began to move his hand. He glanced at Pansy to find her eyes glued on him and how his hand moved over his cock.

Her hand seemed to speed up again as her fingers changed rhythm. She groaned as her eyes followed his hand. Pushing it all the way down, his knuckles grazing his ballsack before pulling back up again, thrusting through his fingers.

"How does it feel?" She whispered.

"So good," He answered as he started to relax. He closed his eyes for a moment before watching her play with her nipples. His cock gave a sudden pulse as his heartbeat hitched.

"What do you think about?" She asked, repeating what he had asked.

"I think about you," He breathed as he remembered his fantasies. "Of playing with your stockings and kissing your thighs. Of how you taste and feel." She groaned as she started rocking in time with her fingers. "How you move and groan, I love hearing you orgasm." He admitted. "How hot and wet you are. How good you'd feel. I'd love to take you and pound into you until you scream my name." She cried out again.

"I'm so close," She whimpered.

"Not yet, let me catch up," He sighed, "Tell me more about what you think about,"

"I think about you filling me as you pin me against the wall. Or me riding you into the bed." He shuddered at the imagery as the warm pressure built behind his balls. "making you beg as I," She cut off, her breathing growing ragged.

"Come for me, Love, I'm almost there." He pumped his hand quickly as he watched her fingers move frantically under the lace. She bucked and tensed as she came. When she bit her lip, her brow furrowed in concentration, it pulled him over the edge with her as he imagined her pulling that face as she rode him. He spasmed a few times before finally relaxing against the bed.

They both lay panting heavily as they turned to look at each other. Pansy smiled, and he returned it.

"Great idea, whoever thought of it." Neville nodded as he tried to gather his wits.

"That was not what I was expecting when I came up here." He chuckled.

"I was hoping you'd come and find me." She grinned as she turned away. He felt a wash of cold air rush him as he realised that she had cast a cleaning charm on them both.

"Thanks," He smiled as he pushed his soft cock back into his boxers and then his trousers. "Am I getting that predictable already?" He asked. She smiled and shook her head.

She sighed quietly as she pressed against him. They were silent for a while as they just enjoyed each others company.

"We need to talk," Pansy said finally. He froze, fearing the words and what they could mean.

"What have I done?" He laughed, as he tried to pass it off as a joke, desperately hiding the sudden sick sensation filling his lungs.

She sat up and looked down at him.

"Nothing." She smiled kindly. "Everything," She smirked, but the smile didn't reach her eyes.

"What's wrong?" He asked as he sat up.

"I feel like I'm leading you on," She said as she looked at her fidgeting fingernails.

"In what way?"

"Sex," She said bluntly.

"Sorry?"

"I feel like we need to decide what we're doing,"

"Okay?" He replied slowly. "What's brought this on?"

"Just now we were talking about how much we both want to have sex, but we also both know that it's not on the table, and possibly never will be," She said as her voice faded.

He waited for her to say more, but she just looked at her fingers, avoiding his eyes.

"And I said that I was alright with that." He said soothingly. "I would love it if we could do all the things we've talked about. I would never dream of pressuring you into something you didn't want to do."

"That's the thing, I really _really_ want to, but I dread to think what my father would do if he found out."

"I know, you have to wait until you're married," She nodded.

"And the chances of us getting married are nil," he nodded, he knew where the conversation was going, and he really didn't want it to go there. He knew they had a shelf life, but he wanted to live it out fully until it was time to stop. Not worrying about the end so much that it ruined the living of it.

"If this is your way of breaking up with me so that you don't have to get me a Christmas gift, then I'm way ahead of you. I had a dramatic argument all planned out for us for when we reach the platform of Hogsmeade station." He joked. "and by the way, I haven't got you anything. there is no present, I was joking." He lied with a wink.

She smirked. "That's not fair, I had an argument planned for the breakfast hall before we left. It involved flying cutlery and everything! We cant do both!"

"Well, it's not my fault you double-booked." He grinned as he stroked her leg. She smirked

"Must I be responsible for everything?" She smiled as she pushed her hair behind her ear.

They were quiet for a moment as they both considered what had been said.

"You know, If I thought it would make a blind bit of difference to you or your family, I would have proposed already," He mumbled.

"What?" She asked as her smiled dropped. Her eyes were wide and surprised as she stared at him.

"You heard," He muttered.

"You would want to marry me?" She asked, her voice a faded whisper, he nodded. "But why?"

"It doesn't really matter, does it?" He said as he looked up at her,

"I guess not, It's just nice to hear it that's all." She said as she frowned and chewed on her thumb.

"If I had asked, what would you say? Just out of curiosity?" He asked as he picked at an invisible thread in his trousers.

"I guess we'll never know." She smirked as she lay down again. He narrowed his eyes playfully.

"You are such a cruel mistress!" He announced as he started to tickle her. She squealed as she tried to fight him off. He stopped and smiled before pressing his lips to hers.

"You knew that before we got together. It's not like there was any false advertising going on," She shrugged and panted.

"I'm heartbroken, I pour my heart out to you, and you just brush it to one side," He rolled his eyes as he pretended to be offended.

"Well, I could never say yes or no without a formal proposal, That was a pitiful attempt, Longbottom!"

He rolled his eyes and shook his head as he pressed his lips to hers again. He lowered himself against her as she turned into him.

"Just as well that I can't then, isn't it?" He muttered against her hair. She nodded as she cuddled back into him.

He felt sleep tugging at his eyes as her body moulded itself against his. He held her tightly as the thought of losing her prodded his heart. He closed his eyes and pushed the thoughts away.

"Pansy Rose Longbottom?" She whispered softly. "I'm not sure it would've suited me anyway," she snorted. He nodded in agreement even though he thought the name sounded perfect.


	73. Making Headlines

Fingers through his hair guided him gently from sleep, and he had a strange recollection of laying in his mother's arms as she held him, warm and safe in her embrace. Less substantial than a memory, more like muscle memory. He would have been far too young to remember her touch before she was stolen away from him.

He stirred, pressing himself into the touch and warmth, hungry for the attention. Blinking into the darkness and smiled, expecting to see his mothers pale blue eyes. The eyes that greeted him were pale in the morning light but weren't his mothers. It took him a moment to remember where he was. In the darkness, the beds looked very much the same.

"Morning," She whispered as she stroked his hair again, a gentle smile on her pretty features.

"Hey," He smiled as he pulled her closer. Her face looked pale, emphasised by the dark smudges beneath her eyes. He frowned. "Are you alright?"

She nodded before a yawn betrayed her.

"Did you not sleep very well?" He asked as he pushed his hand into her hair, enjoying the softness between his fingers.

She smiled and shrugged. "It doesn't matter,"

"It matters to me! You should have woke me up!" He complained, "Did you have nightmares?" He searched her smiling face and frowned when she shook her head against his hand before pressing his hand to her lips so that she could kiss it.

"No nightmares. I just couldn't drop off." She said as she snuggled closer. "I couldn't switch off,"

He moved his hand and pulled her into a tight cuddle. "You still should have woke me up,"

"You were out cold!" She snorted against his throat. "A room full of fully-grown mandrakes wouldn't have been able to wake you, let alone do any harm!" he rolled his eyes as he smiled.

"Least I don't snore," He joked as he massaged his fingers into her hair, eliciting a moan from her

"Mmm, you keep doing that, and I'll fall asleep," She said as she seemed to relax into him.

"Maybe that's my cunning plan," He smirked as he continued to massage her head and neck. Her breathing gradually slowed, and he smiled smugly. He tried moving and was relieved when she didn't stir. He slid his arm from underneath her and peeked out of the curtain. The room appeared to be empty and quiet, if he was going to slip out unnoticed, now would probably be the best time. He kissed her head and climbed out of bed, leaving her to her dreams.

He pulled on his shoes and went to leave.

"Neville!" Hermione whispered, causing him to freeze. "You shouldn't be up here!" He looked around to see Hermione climbing out of her bed. Her hair was wild and stuck up at all angles as she looked at him sternly with a crease running across her face from her pillow.

"I didn't mean to stay. We fell asleep." He whispered back as he looked to Pansy's bed.

"It doesn't matter, I'll meet you in the common room," She ordered. Neville frowned in confusion but nodded.

"I'll go and have a shower and change first."

"Is Pansy coming?" She asked as she glanced to the bed.

"No, she didn't sleep well last night,"

Hermione smirked at him and raised an eyebrow. "Not like that!" He protested with a knowing smile. He rolled his eyes when she made no attempt to believe him. He left her when it was clear she was waiting for him to go.

He pushed through the portrait hole and smiled at lady Isadore as he started down the stairs. She smiled and closed her eyes as if she too knew that they had been up to no good.

"Good morning, Sir Patrick." He mumbled as he pulled open the portrait. The painting mumbled back to him, tiredly as he pushed on. Theo's bed faced him as he stepped through. It looked neat and tidy, just as he always left it, not like he had almost died. The other beds were still shut up with their curtains drawn, meaning that both Blaise and Wayne were both still asleep.

He passed through entering the second section and stopped as he looked at the beds. All were empty and devoid of personality, as this was where Stephen, Oliver and most importantly, Anthony, had stayed. It felt strange walking through this section, knowing that all three of them wouldn't be returning. He wondered what was happening with the two boys and silently hoped that they were getting what they deserved.

His mind darted to Hannah as he moved into his section with Terry and Roger, both of whom were also still asleep. His mind didn't linger on her long. Any warm feelings he'd ever had towards her had evaporated the moment she tried to get Pansy locked up, accusing her of using an unforgivable.

He stripped down to his boxers and threw his uniform over his bed. The air was cold against his skin as he ran his fingers through his hair. He grabbed his towel, desperate for a shower. He was halfway across the room when he remembered the letter from George, hopefully with the antidote to the hair colourant. He walked back to his bag and rifled through the pockets until he found the envelopes.

He reread the shaky handwriting of his Gran, glancing over where she discussed his aunt, who wasn't really an aunt, and about his plants. His heart ached again when he remembered his drawer. He wondered whether it was too late to tell her to leave them or whether she had already sorted through his things. He sighed, knowing that the chances were poor that he could beat her to it now.

The tone of the letter changed slightly as she started to talk about their meeting in Diagon alley and Pansy. As he read on, he wasn't sure whether she was trying to dissuade him from seeing her anymore, or whether she was passively encouraging it. On the one hand, she warned him against the wiles of women and the trappings that could come with it, on the other hand, she asked after her health and whether she too had managed to change her hair back. She also enquired as to whether Pansy's presence would be expected at Christmas dinner.

He smiled at that. He got the feeling that his cantankerous and brittle old gran had found someone that she liked, grudgingly. He would need to reply to that today before she thought he had forgotten her. He placed the letter onto the bed and turned back to the lime green envelope. He hoped for Pansy's sake that there was a cure for it. He knew that he could survive having all his hair cut off, she, however, would be humiliated.

The paper was so orange that it almost hurt his eyes to read the purple ink.

George apologised for not seeing him when they had visited the shop and went on to talk about some new ranges he had brought into the shop. Neville almost laughed out loud as he read the names. "Potter pocket" mini-figures for wizarding children based on the golden trio. He also talked about some other childish things like "Grumpy gushers" that could turn the eater uncharacteristically moody, Gibbergum that tongue-tied the chewer.

On a more serious note, he added about a range of products for people who had suffered after the war. Like Gooddream gummies and Snoozychews, both of which did exactly what the name suggested, helped people fight off post-war insomnia and kept the nightmares at bay. Neville knew he had to order some when he had the chance.

Even though the dreams came less than before, they seemed to have intensified as though they were no longer watered down over multiple nights. He carried on reading until finally, in his last paragraph, he finally answered the question.

Neville read the letter at least three times before he started to chuckle to himself. There was a cure to it, but he would never have guessed it, not in a million years. He folded up the paper and smiled. He couldn't wait to see Pansy's face when he tried it. His face broke out into a smile at the thought. He paused for a moment as he remembered the conversation from the night before, the smile wilting.

He didn't know what their future held, and he knew it would hurt when real life came calling, but he also knew that selfishly, he wanted to keep her and love her for every second they had left together. He took a deep breath and pushed the feelings down as he grabbed his towel.

The day was still dark, but the snow highlighted the scenery making each tree and bush visible against the black. Hermione, sat in her jeans and jumper was already waiting for him when he stepped onto the flagstone floor. Her wild, curly hair pulled back as much as she was able, but small tendrils escaped and hung at her face.

"Neville," She motioned for him to join her as she peered out of the window. He sat down before looking around at the clock. He groaned inwardly. It was not yet six in the morning, on a Saturday no less! He rubbed at his face, suddenly feeling tired.

"Why are we up so early?" He groaned.

"I thought you felt it?" She muttered as she glanced back at him. He frowned into the silence as he waited for her to continue, but it appeared that no explanation was forthcoming. He shook his head and got up again. He needed a cup of tea before he did anything else.

He made himself tea and made Hermione her typical milky coffee before returning to the study nook where she still gazed out of the window. He placed the cups down on the table before cuddling his as he waited for her attention. Before long, she sniffed and turned around. Her eyes landed on the coffee, and she smiled.

"Thanks," She said as she turned to reach for it.

"Felt what?" He asked, finally.

"Hmm?" She responded questioningly as she took a sip from her cup. Her eyebrows raised as she glanced at him.

"You thought I'd felt what?"

"Oh, sorry. This," She said as she pulled out a golden Galleon. He instantly knew that it wasn't a genuine galleon, not because it looked any different. Hermione had done a superb job when she had made them. He knew that it was their DA coin because he had spent so many nights clinging to his own, waiting for a sign that help was coming, that he wasn't alone.

He sat forward automatically, almost spilling his tea.

"What's going on?" He asked tentatively.

"Harry sent a message," She said as she handed him the coin. He instantly turned it on its side so that he could read the numerals embossed onto the edge. 12129806. So it was today's date and the time? He frowned quizzically before looking up at Hermione.

A tap came at the window, drawing her attention again. There at the window sat a beautiful long-eared owl, glaring in with its bright orange eyes. Something about it reminded him of McGonagall, and if he didn't know that she could already transform into a cat, he would have sworn that it was her.

The shape of its face gave the appearance that it was looking down its beak at him. "Finally," Hermione breathed as she opened the window. She untied the package from its leg before the creature flew away again.

"What is it?" He asked as she closed the window and turned back, laying the parcel onto the table.

"I'm not sure. It's not very heavy."

Hermione proceeded to open it and then sat back quizzically as she stared at it. Neville felt confused to as it was just a copy of the Saga.

"Why would Harry send us this?" He asked. He went to sip his tea and realised that his cup was empty but for the dregs at the bottom. Disappointed, he sat the mug onto the table and pushed it out of reach so he wouldn't be tempted to grab for it again.

"I guess there's something important in here that he wants us to see..." She said as her eyes skimmed over the front page.

He watched as she pulled it out of the wrappings. It wasn't just one paper, it was the headlines for the past week's worth of Saga's

"Monday's headline says 'Rogers Blown For Last Time – Malfoy secretary and lover, killed in Prophet explosion, Malfoy implicated.'" Hermione read as she moved the article to one side.

"Is it the whole weeks worth of headlines?" he asked, she nodded in response.

"It looks like it. Look at Tuesday's" She said as she handed him the paper.

"Nott dead in honour killing' Aurors believe Mr Parkinson behind attack," He frowned as he looked up at her, "She reported it wrong," Hermione nodded. She picked up another.

"Wednesday's headline, oh!" She stopped. Neville looked at her as she stared at the parchment. She covered her mouth with her trembling hand as her brow furrowed with confusion. "What a horrid, evil woman! How could she?" she breathed with emotion.

"What does it say?" He asked as he reached out to take the paper. Tears started to roll down her cheeks as she closed her eyes. She handed him the page before pushing the tears away with the back of her hand.

"Murderous, Metamorphmagus Mutt – Lupin pup showing signs of father's homicidal nature. Brat considered violent and dangerous!" He felt sick as he remembered the baby that Remus and Nymphadora had left behind. He lay the headline down and pushed it away before resting a comforting hand on Hermione's as she silently cried. He felt the tears pricking at the corners of his eyes as he remembered seeing them after the battle. Looking as though they were sleeping as their hands stretching out for each other. He knew that Teddy will have woken up crying for his mother, yet unaware that he would never see her again.

The pain hit too close to home as he stood up and walked away as if moving away from the headline could distance himself from his own pain. He swallowed thickly as he rubbed at his mouth. He leant on the back of a chair for support as he pinched his eyes closed. The feeling of never seeing his sane and loving mother again had never left him.

Remus Lupin would forever be one of the best men he had ever had the honour to know. He had been a beacon of hope when he head wanted to quit, paying attention to him during their defence lessons and helping him conquer his fear of Snape. Remus Lupin was one of the most level-headed, least violent man he knew. To insinuate otherwise was a dishonour to his noble name.

His hands tightened on the chair as his sorrow gave way to anger. Rita Skeeter needed to be stopped.


	74. The Monster Behind Closed Doors

"Neville, are you alright?" Hermione almost whispered through the common room. He bearly heard her over the tensing of his jaw.

His hands and arms burned as his trembling fingers dug into the material of the chair. "Neville," She said again, from his side this time. "Come on, we can't help people like Teddy if we don't do everything we can to close the paper down."

She placed her hand on his arm, and slowly he began to release his grip.

"It's just not right! How can a baby be murderous? It's disgraceful to both Teddy and his parents." He growled.

"It is, but the best way we can help them is to fight them. Come on, come back to the table, we need to decode what Harry wants us to see." She released him and returned back to the table, leaving him alone at the chair.

The elves must have built up the fire already as the flames licked the logs, turning its bark black and charred. He took a moment to get himself under control before turning back to the table where Hermione was pouring over the other headlines.

As he approached, he could see that she had turned over the headline about Teddy. However, she had spread out the others, and all of them made his bubbling blood want to boil over.

Thursday's headline was about corruption within the Ministry, with a caption calling for an 'impeachment of the impotent imposter'. Before going on to discuss Minister Shaklebolt and his sexuality. As if that had any bearing on him being about to do his job.

He was just reaching for Friday's article when Hermione hissed and pulled it away.

"Oi!" He exclaimed as her eyes rushed through it. She apologised absently as he watched her face, unable to read the headline itself. Lines appear above the bridge of her nose as her frown deepened. "What is it?" He asked, feeling the bile in his stomach simmering.

She slammed it down on her lap and bit the inside of her mouth before looking at him. A pained look crossed every feature of her face. "Hermione?" He asked as he moved to the edge of his seat.

"It's not good, are you sure you want to read it?" She asked with a wince, "I could give you a general overview?"

He stared at her for a moment. He trusted her judgement when she said it was bad, but he knew that he wouldn't be able to leave it at that. He needed to see it, regardless of how bad it was.

"Give it to me, please." He said finally as he held out his hand. She hesitated before she handed it to him.

"Before you read it, just remember that no one believes it, everyone knows what really happened. We're all here for you!"

Her gaze bore into his with such force that he wasn't sure that she couldn't use Legilimency. He nodded, and slowly she handed it over. "I'll go make up another drink."

He nodded as he braced himself for the article. He heard Hermione rustle around the kitchen before the kettle started to roar to life. He knew he was stalling, and he also knew that he wasn't ready for whatever the article was about to throw at him. He sighed and flipped it over.

At first, the words didn't make sense. Halloween had been months ago… He stared at the headline feeling the growing dread when he read his name. Swallowing thickly, he tried to ignore the tremors radiating from his chest. He placed the sheet on the table when it became to difficult to read for the shaking.

**_Halloween Screams – Longbottom behind planned rape attack of schoolgirl. _**

The headline hung there, in his mind, blotting out everything else as the implications of it multiplied in his head. He leant forward and gripped his hair, pulling it tight in an attempt to stay grounded.

**_Former student and lover to Neville Longbottom tells all as she is convicted to three years in Azkaban on trumped-up charges of identity theft. Hannah Abbott, 19, tells The Saga about the Halloween party which changed her life, and the sinister role the snake-slayer played in the sexual attack that sent her to St Mungo's. _**

His stomach churned as he rubbed his sweaty palms on his trousers. His Gran would read this, as would all of her friends. Old school friends, The mediwitches and healers at St Mungo's that look after his parents, people that had never even met him. It echoed around his head as the sounds of Hermione in the kitchen faded away to nothing. People that had never met him would link his name to a rape case.

He clenched his teeth as a white haze seemed to settle over everything, the roaring in his ears deafening him to all else. He stood and started to pace, tears pricking at his eyes. His fury and desperation simmered away, so close to exploding. Rubbing his face hard in the mad hopes that it would distract him, he turned and walked back to where he had been.

It wasn't fair. He thought, and with that one comment bouncing around his brain, the anger bubbled over.

"It's not fucking fair!" he screamed, ignoring Hermione's shushings from the kitchen. He kicked the nearest chair sending the wooden frame flying into the wall where the leg snapped off. He screamed again. As the fury still lingered. He spotted the headline glaring up at him and growled again "It's not fucking fair!"

He swept his hand across the table, sending the papers flying around the room before clutching some and ripping them to shreds.

"Neville!" Hermione cried, but he ignored her.

"Is it fair?" He asked as he turned around to her. "Is it?" She stood there holding the two mugs, her eyes wide and frightened as her mouth opened and closed silently. "Why is it that she can ruin my fucking life?" He cried "Everyone will see that! Everyone with think I…" He swallowed before another scream left him. He kicked the other chair causing it to screech across the floor before falling over.

He began to pace again as he pulled his hair. Screaming wordlessly again as the panic boiled over, he knew he was ruined.

"Go back to the dorms!" He heard Hermione say as he turned. Other students peered down at him from the stairs, wide-eyed and shocked as they stood in their pyjama's

Blaise's brow furrowed in confusion as some of the other girls watched. He swallowed suddenly feeling shame dowse the fury until there was nothing left. He caught sight of Pansy looking down at him as she tried to push her way through. He couldn't let her see him like this.

He looked around him at the debris and shook his head. He couldn't catch his breath as he glanced up at his audience again, then to Hermione's apologetic face.

He turned and left. Grabbing the door handle and disappearing to the sounds of his name. He couldn't breathe, as the tears blurred his way. Fortunately, he knew the route by heart, even in the snow. He stepped out into the cold as he headed towards the greenhouses.

It confused him greatly when suddenly he was airborne. Only when his body crashed down to earth again did he realise that he'd caught some ice. He lay on the flagstone floor, gazing up at the lightening sky and let out a single sob as the tears started to escape.

His life was over, no one would ever employ him or marry him. Who would hire someone that was involved in a rape, regardless of the truth of it? Another sob escaped as he lay, making no move to get up from the frozen floor. His body shook, and it crossed his mind that maybe he should just let nature take its course as things couldn't get much worse.

"Neville! God, what are you doing there on the floor?" Hermione cried.

"Just leave me alone," He groaned. His head throbbed, and he'd landed on his right shoulder painfully.

"Stop being such a melodramatic idiot and get up, You're as bad as Ron!" She chided softly.

"Mind the ice," He muttered numbly as he gingerly tried to sit up. He winced as he clutched his arm, it throbbed intensely. He groaned and sniffed before wiping the tears away. He was beyond caring what people thought, they already thought the worst, so what if he cried?

"Don't make me levitate you!" Hermione threatened.

"Go ahead." He sighed, "I don't care."

"Neville, please!" She begged. "I can't lift you up, help me." She said, stepping closer and raising his arm. He shook his head and pulled his good arm away.

"I can't go back up there, Hermione. Just leave me alone. I made an arse of myself in there, and I'm ashamed that I lost control like that. I can't go back!" He shook his head.

"Ok, just get up and off the ice. Even a warming charm would struggle to bring you back from hyperthermia!"

"What does it matter?" He groaned as he cuddled his arm to himself. "You don't understand,"

"Excuse me? Undesirable number two? Mudblood? I understand what it's like to have your name dragged through… well, through mud!"

"It's not the same," He shook his head. "the whole world thinks I'm some sort of evil deviant. I won't be able to get a job, the Aurors won't want me just in case there's a backlash. No one else will hire me as I might be a danger to their customers. The healers at St Mungo's probably won't let me see Mom and Dad ever again. What am I going to do, Hermione? Hannah's fucked up my life good and proper!"

"No one here gets the Saga so for now, there's a refuge from it all. Now come on, you need something warm to drink, you're shaking!"

He shook his head again. "I can't live here for the rest of my life!"

"Neville?" He closed his eyes. He didn't want her to see him like this. He wished the ground would open up and swallow him. Pansy stepped closer.

"Be careful of the ice," Hermione warned. He looked around and saw her worried face looking down at him.

"What's going on?" Pansy asked, her face full of concern. She wasn't wearing makeup, and her clothes looked thrown on.

"He slipped, and I think he's hurt his arm, but he's refusing to stand up and come back inside," Hermione complained.

Pansy turned her worried gaze back to his before pushing his hair out of his face. "Come on, get up,"

He turned away and shook his head.

"I can't," he said.

"Please, it's so cold out here," She pleaded.

"Just leave me and go inside."

"Neville, I love you, really I do, but you are coming back in, even if I have to levitate you there myself," Pansy said as she grit her teeth against the cold. "Now you either come in under your own steam, or I float you there like a baby." Neville turned and looked at her.

Surrounded by the snow and the growing light, her eyes looked steely grey as she sternly looked at him.

He sighed and nodded, knowing full well that she would do it. He had already embarrassed himself once, he didn't want to humiliate himself further.

He tried to straighten his arm to push himself up, but he hissed as his arm buckled.

"Wingardum Leviosa" Hermione muttered as she lifted him up. Once again, he was airborne, but not for long as she set him down on his feet. He clenched his teeth together to stop the shivering as he huddled in on himself.

"Come on," Pansy said as she offered him her hand. He hesitated and looked at her. "Don't look at me like that, you know I don't believe it," She said authoritatively. He took her hand and nodded as they climbed the stairs. Neville closed his eyes as they got to the door. Pansy squeezed his hand and smiled before pushing the door open.

As they pushed in, the chatter stopped. All eyes looked up and landed on him as a wave of shame almost sent him back out the door again. Only Hermione at his back and Pansy holding his hand kept him there.

"We know you didn't do it, Neville," Terry called from the sofa by the fire. Neville turned and nodded. Almost all of the others murmured their agreement too. There were a few exceptions in Wayne and Sophie. He knew both had been close to Hannah, so he couldn't blame them for their disbelief. His Gran had always said that you never knew the monsters behind closed doors.

Pansy led him to the chair where Blaise was collecting the papers up. He noticed the broken chair and cringed.

"Come on, Nev! Sit down, don't worry about the chair, I'll fix it in a minute," The dark wizard added with a gentle smile as he pulled out the chair for him to sit down. Neville nodded as his friends fussed around him, leaving him to cuddled his arm and nurse his pride.


	75. One Job

They all sat awkwardly around the table as Blaise tried what he could to heal Neville's arm. The silence seemed painfully loud as Neville sat there, avoiding everyone's gaze. It was no more comfortable in the common room than it had been out on the ice, the only difference was that it was warmer.

Hermione had made him a new cup of tea which currently sat steaming away cuddled in his left hand. Pansy rubbed his thigh, and she placed her warm hand on the skin at the back of his neck. Her flesh felt so hot it was almost uncomfortable. He kept his eyes closed hoping that if he could blot everyone else out then, they would forget he was there.

It was a trick that he used to do as a child when he was in trouble with his Gran. He would run off into the garden and hide, closing his eyes. He had always figured that if he couldn't see her, then she couldn't see him. Sometimes it worked, but more often than not, it didn't, and he guessed that the times that it did, she just couldn't bring herself to chase after him.

"There, it should feel a bit better, I'd still get it looked at by Pomfrey, though," Blaise assured him as he moved away.

"Thanks," He muttered again, rotating his arm gingerly without opening his eyes.

The silence was back again, and he could practically feel them looking at each other as they figured out what to do with him.

"Hermione? Can you do that spell Neville knows to stop people overhearing?" Pansy asked.

Neville assumed that Hermione had cast it when she spoke again. "I'm going to say it as I feel like Neville needs to hear it again. We know you're innocent, and we are going to get this sorted!" Pansy announced.

The others murmured in agreement before Blaise spoke up. "I could owl my cousin, He's a partner at a legal firm, he may be able to suggest some routes we might be able to look into. It's defamation of character if nothing else." He confirmed

"I can talk to Harry. There was a note from him in with the headlines asking to meet up today. He would be more than willing to help as this morning's headline completely blew his and Ron's alias's out of the water. Auror Evans and Auror King will no longer be quite such good covers for either of them from now on."

Neville looked up and caught the look on her face as she sighed. She shook her head. "I don't remember it ever being this bad for Harry during the Triwizard tournament." She muttered woefully.

"I personally think that we should fight fire with fire," Pansy growled fiercely. "I think we should go down and see Draco and get your side of the story out in the papers, Neville."

Neville turned to Pansy who looked livid. He shook his head.

"It's no use." He said finally.

"Don't give up, Neville. We'll get the whole thing straightened out." Hermione assured him.

"It's too late. Even if we were to put Skeeter or McLaggen before the Wizengamot. Or if I spill the beans to the Prophet. There are still going to be people out there that will label me a rapist."

He shook his head before pinching the bridge of his nose. His head was throbbing. His grip around the mug tightened as he lifted it to his mouth.

"But still less than if you remain silent. If we can pull everything together, there will be a hell of a lot less," Blaise argued. "If we were to blast them publically using a more successful, and more widely read newspaper, while privately suing them for defamation and whatever charges my cousin suggests. It could close them down for good."

They all nodded. "If they're discredited, then so is their claim about you." Pansy smiled gently at him. "I bet if we all threatened to sue, we would have a better chance. The threat of having to pay out to multiple people for damages might be enough to kick them into touch as an actual payout would probably bankrupt them."

"It's a shame Theo isn't here, he's always had a head for law." Blaise murmured dolefully as they all nodded,

"Pomfrey thinks he might wake up soon," Hermione added absently. They all nodded. Although they were looking forward to getting their friend back, Neville knew that none of them wanted the job of telling him that Anthony was dead. Neville had offered as he had been the one to fail them. That idea had been sunk, and instead, they had decided that whoever was there when he woke would be the lucky one. And if not, then they would all go down and play it by ear.

"So what do you think, darling?" Pansy said after a while. "Shall we go down and see The Prophet's new office? You can decide on the way there whether you want to tell Draco your story. Even if you decide that you don't want to publish an article, he might be able to give us some advice on how to fight it." Eagerly she lent forward, gripping his thigh as she gazed into his eyes.

"I guess if I have any chance of getting out of this mess with any dignity at all is to trust in your Slytherin cunning," he offered as he quirked his lips in an attempt at a smile.

She tilted her head at him, her brows pursed with worry. "We'll make this right, my darling! Anyone that knows you will know what utter tosh that article is."

The mood of the group was the complete opposite from their last jaunt down to the sleepy little village. Last time they had laughed and joked together as well as rolling around in the snow. This time the three of them trudged through the fresh snow in virtual silence, only the creak and crunch of their footsteps as they descended.

Pansy kept throwing furtive glances at him as they moved further into the valley. He noticed and squeezed her hand tightly in reassurance. He kept his face blank as the fear and panic raged within him like a cyclone. He held onto her hand like an anchor to keep him from imploding. He wasn't sure, but he had a feeling that she knew that already by how tightly she held him.

"So, Hermione. Where are you meeting Potter?" Pansy asked, breaking the silence. It seemed to surprise Hermione as she looked up with a jump.

"Oh, erm, He said to meet somewhere or other at nine, so I'll come with you to the Prophet first, see whether I can help at all before I meet up with him.

"All sounds very mysterious," Pansy concluded as the smoke from the chimneys became visible.

"Not really, We learned that when Skeeter is involved, the trees have ears." Neville looked off into the trees as if trying to spot the insidious woman in amongst the evergreens.

"Ah yes, I remember!" Pansy nodded, having been one of the Slytherins to feed the witch in her beetle animagus form, information about them all.

"I never did get you back for painting me as the 'devious Miss Granger'. The witch who needs to seduce famous wizards with love potions."

Pansy cringed as she looked at her apologetically. "I admit that it was petty and childish, and I apologise,"

The apology seemed to take Hermione back as she stopped.

"Did you just apologise?" She asked, "To me?"

"See darling? I told you I've been growing as a person," Pansy said with a tender smirk to Neville. In the face of her gentle attempts to draw him out of himself, he managed a small yet genuine smile.

"I'm impressed." Hermione nodded.

"Thank you," Pansy said as she squeezed Neville's hand again, sending a warm smile his way. He squeezed it back, feeling the cyclone within ease slightly.

The sounds of people started to pierce the air as the square came into view. The village was busy as they approached, which was not surprising as there were only 14 days until Christmas. They threaded through the crowds, and Neville held his breath as he waited for someone to notice and recognise him.

He'd almost expected an angry mob with flaming torches and pitchforks to chase him back to the castle like a Mary Shelley monster. The tempest died down further the nearer they got to the new Prophet office. Pansy led the way through the crowds, and he realised that they were heading towards the jewellery shop. He thought of the present he had bought her, sat back in the dorm by his bed and wondered whether he should get her something else.

He wondered whether they had earings that would match the pendant he'd bought her. The thought passed him by as they walked by it without even a sidewards glance.

The Daily Prophet's new office was next door to the Magic Neep greengrocers. It was easy to see as a workman was stood outside trying to hang the sign from the bracket on the first floor. The building was just like the others, quirky and crooked, with two bay windows on the ground floor, one either side of the doorway.

They nodded to the workman who watched them curiously as they pushed through. The inside was dark and crowded as people rushed around. Neville suddenly felt confined in the small space. As they huddled together out of the way. Sawdust and sand gathered in a fine covering over every surface.

"Can I help you?" A man asked from the nearest desk. His voice was thick and nasally as he spoke and resembled a bird with his thin, long nose and dark eyes.

"Yes, thank you. Is Mr Malfoy here?" Pansy asked politely.

"Do you have an appointment?" The man asked without looking up from his project, a Quick Quotes Quill scribbling furiously at his elbow.

"No, However…"

"If you do not have an appointment, I cannot allow you to see him. As you can see, we are very busy." The man interrupted.

"Would you mind telling Mr Malfoy that we are here. He will wish to see us once he is aware of our presence,"

"No can do, madam,"

"Excuse me, What did you say your name was?" Pansy asked. Neville could hear the impatience and entitlement come through in her voice.

"I didn't." He replied, finally looking up at them. His eyes landed on Hermione and Pansy, before spotting Neville.

"Apologies, I'll let him know. If you could just wait here?" He nodded eagerly as his eyes clung to each of them in hungry recognition before leaving the room. Neville shivered once the man was out of sight. He found the look distasteful and somehow, invasive.

"That guy was a bit… odd," Hermione whispered as they waited for him to come back.

All the activity seemed to have moved to the other part of the ground floor as they waited in relative silence. Neville caught Hermione's head jerk to one side before she stuck out her foot. A cloud of dust suddenly erupted on the floor next to her. As though a sack of flour had been dropped. A pair of boots appeared sticking out from nothing.

"Harry James Potter!" Hermione chided "What do you think you are doing?"

Neville and Pansy frowned as they looked on the floor. Suddenly he threw off his cloak and groaned.

"Did you really have to do that, Mione?" He groaned as he stood up "Shit, I think you broke my glasses!" He pouted as he stood up, his cloak in tow.

"What in Salazar's name?" Pansy asked in confusion.

"Harry has an invisibility cloak," Neville explained.

"Why were you hiding from us?" Hermione demanded as she crossed her arms.

"Because I knew that if you guys saw me in here, I would never hear the end of it!" Harry groaned as he looked down at his glasses. Hermione rolled her eyes as she pulled out her wand and fixed it for him before secreting it back into her pocket.

"Yes, because creeping out under your invisibility cloak appears so much more innocent!" Hermione argued sarcastically.

"Well, obviously I was kinda hoping not to get caught. How did you see me?"

"The dust on the floor caught in the cloak." She pointed to the ground from where he had come. "But that's not important. What are you doing here, anyway? I thought we were meeting up at the… our usual place?" She corrected herself.

"I had to see Draco about a few things. Especially after the headlines from this week," Harry turned to Neville before patting his arm apologetically. "Sorry mate, We'll get it sorted. Fernsby is on your side as are both Ron and me, obviously. Your job at the Auror's is still open for you when you finish school. I checked with Shacklebolt."

"Wow! You can't get a higher commendation than that!" Pansy smiled encouragingly. Neville felt another knot loosen in his chest.

"Thanks, Harry!" He smiled.

"No problem, Least I could do,"

"So, now that we have the important stuff narrowed down," Pansy started with a smirk and a raised eyebrow. "So…, how is…Draco…today?" She asked smugly, highlighting that he had accidentally called his old rival by his first name and not his last.

Harry's cheeks started to redden as he pushed his hand, through his hair. There was a long moment of silence before Harry looked away.

"Shit," He uttered with feeling.

"You had one job, Potter!" Draco fired snarkily from the doorway. "Come on, all of you! Let's head up to my office, where we can discuss everything."

Neville looked between the two men, and their eye contact was undeniable before the blond turned around and led them further into the building site that was the new office.


	76. The Interview

Draco led them through to the rear of the property where they climbed the stairs to the first floor. Several offices lined the corridor as they headed deeper still.

The largest office, and invariably Draco's, wasn't a big room at all. It certainly wasn't as generous nor as fancy as Neville had been expecting. There was bearly enough space to house everything, a couple of desks, a few filing cabinets and also a pair of chairs, not including the one behind his desk.

His bureau sat in the centre of the room facing the door, a large window with blinds behind it overlooking the lower floor. The desk was littered with papers and documents, as well as photos which moved erratically.

With a furtive glance towards them, Draco picked up his fallen inkwell, which lay in a dark smear of ink onto the mahogany. He groaned almost inaudibly with a roll of his eyes before glancing back to Harry. The blond huffed and flicked his wand at the stain, soaking it up as though it had never been there, before tidying the papers and sorting the photographs into neat and orderly piles.

Harry coughed, drawing Malfoy's gaze. Harry seemed to smirk, bringing a tight smile to the blonds face. Malfoy caught Neville's curious gaze. He thought he saw a pink tinge bloom onto his pale features before the Slytherin looked away hurriedly, pretending he hadn't been caught.

"You had one job, Potter. Just the one and that was to sneak out without being seen. Forget 'Perfect Potter' you should have been titled 'Ponderous Potter'" he sniped as he sat down, motioning to the others to follow suit.

"Ponderous?" Harry asked tiredly. "Are you calling me fat?" he asked as he shut the door behind them.

"Ponderous also means awkward and unwieldy. It also means dull..." The blond muttered the last with an arched eyebrow.

Harry heard the weakly veiled insult and tutted as he rolled his eyes, remaining at the back of the room.

"We didn't mean to interrupt what was obviously a meeting of minds. But we do have some rather pressing business to discuss," Hermione said tartly

"Indeed, we do. My dear Draco. I'm sure you know why we've come?" Pansy purred to her best friend.

"Of course, I know!" Draco snorted dismissively. "We wouldn't be much of a newspaper if we didn't, would we?" Draco rolled his eyes as he motioned to the seats again. Hermione sat, but Neville stepped aside before offering the chair to Pansy. She smiled and rolled her eyes.

"Just sit down, my love," she smirked, as she guided him into the seat. Watching nervously as she perched on the edge of the desk, he was unable to ignore how her skirt rode up her thighs. He looked away before he was distracted, repositioning himself on the chair. He decided grimly that they were unforgivingly stiff and uncomfortable. "So, what can you do to help us?" She asked

"As I was telling Potter before you three descended. I can run an article exposing the truth about the Halloween party. However, I have foreseen two potential obstacles."

"Which are?" Pansy asked.

"Well, firstly, I'm currently unable to see a way of accomplishing our desired goal without exposing your relationship. How it hasn't come out already is a miracle! Secondly, Potter said that it may impact the DMLE's investigation into recent events."

"How is that investigation going?" Hermione asked, turning to Harry. Neville followed suit,

Harry had perched on the edge of the other desk at the rear of the room. His arms crossed over his chest.

"The letters Luna provided have been very helpful. What did you think of those headlines this morning?"

"Apart from them being abhorrent, you mean?" Pansy asked.

"Completely Abhorrent!" Hermione agreed, "How are Teddy and Andromeda?"

"He's fine, he's too young to realise anything's amiss. Andromeda's having a tough time of it though. They had some trouble, a few broken windows and some verbal abuse. But yeah, it's been stressful for her, especially so soon after..." Harry broke off as they all descended into silence in memory of their fallen friends.

"They've both moved to my flat in London," Draco interrupted, drawing their attention. "to get away from the trouble,"

"Your flat? Why have they moved to your flat?" Hermione asked with a frown.

"Andromeda is Narcissa's sister," Pansy explained.

"Oh, yes, so that makes Teddy your what? Nephew?" Hermione guessed. Draco nodded once.

"I still think they'd be safer at mine. My house is unplotable, large, and it has a garden." Harry interrupted sullenly. "Yours is a flat with no outside space and anyone could find it if they knew how to use the Ministry archives."

"We've had this conversation already, Potter!" Draco said with an exasperated sigh.

"And I still think that you're wrong,"

"As I said before, don't hurt yourself by overworking your unused muscles."

"Darling. Now is not the time to be discussing Potter's unused muscles," Pansy said with a smirk, causing them both to blush. "And Potter, please overuse your mouth and tell us about your investigation as the suspense is getting tiresome."

Harry cleared his throat as he fidgeted, his eyes locked with Draco's for a moment. "To be honest, there isn't anything I can tell you. As it's still an active investigation, I have to keep most of the details to myself."

"Annoying isn't it?" Draco pouted, "I was trying to press him for information before you got here,"

Pansy looked at him with a raised eyebrow and a smirk, clearly showing that she didn't believe him.

"What happened with Tuesday's headline?" Hermione asked

Harry shrugged. "We're not sure, and Skeeter is remaining annoyingly allusive."

"And what of my father?" Pansy asked. Panic and confusion played briefly across her features as she turned to Harry.

"He was taken into custody. However, we have had to release him because there wasn't enough evidence to hold him."

"I see," She replied calmly as she perched motionless on the edge of the desk.

"He adamantly denied the allegations against him and lawyered up. The delightful Ms Ent, of Libertas Solicitors, pointed out how every shred of proof we had was circumstantial." Harry growled, his brow furrowing in consternation. "We had to let him go."

Neville stood and went to Pansy, who took his hand. She smiled bravely and nodded.

"So, if it was Pansy's father, he could strike again?" Neville asked worriedly.

"Pans, Don't listen to Longbottom! Your father would sooner try the imperious curse than killing you, you're too valuable to him alive," Draco said.

"Oh, and that's supposed to make me feel better, is it?" She growled. "Merlin knows what he'll do if he ever finds out that I'm immune to that fucking curse! I guess I can thank the Carrows for that, at the very least," she paused for a moment,

"Well, he shan't hear from me!" Draco said with a snort. "Now, are we quite finished with the histrionics,"

"Histrionics?" She asked angrily. "One of your best friends was almost murdered and still hasn't woken from his come, and you accuse me of being dramatic?" She accused angrily

"Well,"

"Fuck you, Draco. You weren't there, you didn't see Theo collapse and have a fit. You didn't see Anthony…" She gulped for a second before she turned away. Neville reached and touched her hand. She let his fingers graze hers.

Draco stood and approached her.

"Yes, my dove." He said softly as he took her by the shoulders, moving her away from Neville. Neville kept silent despite feeling like his world was being torn apart.

"Perhaps histrionics was the wrong word. I just don't want you panicking needlessly. You know as well as I that your father would rather get a good return on his investment. Your father is nothing if not a good businessman." Pansy looked to Neville before looking away. "If he knew you were with Longbottom, however…" Draco started. She didn't let him finish before she jumped away, her eyes wild with worry. She whirled around to Harry, stepping towards him.

"Potter, if he's loose, either myself or Neville could be next on his list," Harry pushed away from the desk, his hands raised in a calming gesture.

"Pansy," Hermione started. "He wouldn't be able to get to Neville with poison again. McGonagall's having all the post screened and checked before it enters the castle. And even if it did get through, thanks to Neville, we'd all recognise the scent now,"

"She's right," Harry offered, "I've also got someone keeping an eye on your father, so don't worry,"

Her whole body relaxed as he pulled her to him. She smelled of her typical black cherries and violets as she held him close. Draco watched suspiciously as he returned to his desk. A look crossed between curiosity and confusion.

"I need to go," Harry announced awkwardly. "Does anyone have anything else they want to ask me about before I leave?"

"I'll join you, I need to get some last-minute bits" Hermione decided, "I can meet you guys at the Brooms in about an hour?" He asked.

Neville and Pansy nodded in agreement

"I know that there's no point asking you to try and leave without making a fuss, so… see you around… Potter."

"Malfoy," Harry nodded, their eyes meeting across the room before the Gryffindor looked away. He held the door for Hermione before stepping out after her.

"Thank Salazar, he's gone!" He mumbled.

"So? My dearest, darling cousin?" Pansy asked, "How did you manage to spill the ink well?"

Malfoy's precious pink flush was nothing to the red blotches that appeared on his face.

"I don't know what you mean," He spluttered.

"In that case, you won't know what I mean when I say that the ink is all over your back…" She said as she looked at her nails.

Malfoy stood suddenly but refrained from checking his back for ink.

"I'm glad that you're amused," Malfoy said finally.

"If I can't tease my best friend, who can I tease?" She asked with a playful smile.

"What about him?" He said, throwing a glance at Neville.

"I don't need to tease him, for him to be fun," Pansy winked. "But I feel we're getting off track, let's get down to business. Actual business though, this time, Draco darling." She smirked.

"What business?" Draco asked, his eye narrowing with an arched eyebrow.

"You have a client in your office who wants to tell you the real story behind the Horrific Halloween at Hogwarts…"

Draco was quiet for a moment before his eyes darted to Neville.

"Longbottom." He said as he leant on the table. "Would you mind waiting outside for a moment while I speak to my cousin?" Neville stood and looked at Pansy, who narrowed her eyes at Draco before nodding.

"Alright," He agreed, as he moved to go. When he reached the door, he cast a glance behind him before shutting it. As soon as the wood met the frame, the blinds over the window snapped shut, blocking his view of the room.

He knew without testing the theory that either Malfoy or Pansy had cast a silencing charm. He stared at the door a moment longer as he tried to figure out what the Slytherin had to say to Pansy that he couldn't be privy to. Neville got the sense that Malfoy didn't trust him. He already knew that the blond wizard didn't like him. They never had been friends growing up, so why should it be any different now?

He wondered whether Malfoy was trying to poison her against him. It would be just his luck if he succeeded. He pushed his hands into his pockets and leant back against the wall.

The door to one of the other offices opened as a woman stepped out. She looked at him for a moment and then at the entrance to Malfoy's office. He offered a smile but didn't receive one in return. He felt the panic start building in his stomach again as he remembered the newspaper article. Everyone here would have read it already and no doubt some of them believed it, even if it was only idle curiosity.

He swallowed his panic down and hoped that Malfoy decided to take on his story and clear his name. He pulled his hands out of his pockets and crossed them across his chest, wishing that his palms would stop sweating as his nerves started to tingle anxiously. He glanced at the door again, hoping that they would let him back in again.

As though granting his wish, the door swung open suddenly with immense force. He glanced in, warily and was even more surprised when he spotted Malfoy sporting a bloody nose, which he dabbed at gingerly with a handkerchief. Pansy sat demurely and calmly on one of the chairs as she smiled to him.

"Come back in, my love," She patted the chair next to her. He pushed away from the wall slowly and stepped in before the door slammed closed behind him. "Draco and I have had our little chat, we now need to get to work."

"Sit down, Longbottom," Malfoy said gruffly. "And tell me everything. From the beginning,"

Neville frowned as he lowered himself into the chair again. Pansy smiled at him, encouragingly as she stroked his arm.


	77. Only Temporary

"I believe that I have everything I need," Malfoy said finally.

Neville stood up from the wooden chair and stretched, it felt like hours of a gruelling and painful interrogation had dragged by as he relived some of his worst memories. Even Malfoy's passive and unreadable face had winced occasionally at some of the attacks.

"Thank you," Pansy said graciously as she stepped forward and kissed the blond's cheek.

"You're lucky that my wand was in my pocket," He grumbled sullenly. Pansy chuckled musically as she pulled away, shaking her head dismissively.

"Come now, Darling. We both know, I was always better at duelling," She asked, her face sobering as she stepped up to Neville. "So will this be out In the late edition?"

"If I can remove you from the story and make it believable, I may be able to get it into the late edition. However, it's looking more likely for tomorrow. Even then, I'll be up all night going through this stuff!" He frowned as he looked at the pile of papers on his now-neat desk.

"Better get on with it and stop with the histrionics! The sooner you start, the sooner it'll be finished." She winked at him again. He glared in response, his hand going to his nose reflexively.

"Neville, take your She-demon and go before it's too late!"

"Such sweet words, my darling! I love you too!" Pansy threw back as she blew him a kiss. They made their way out, the office door slamming loudly behind them as they followed the corridor in silence.

Pansy smiled at him, warmly as they stepped out into the winter street. "Not long now, my  
Love. We'll get your name cleared!" She whispered "Now, come on, we'll be late to meet Granger," she said as she started to walk away.

"Pansy, wait!"

She stopped and glanced around at him, her smile wilting around the edges. She took a  
deep breath and turned back to him.

"Come on, we'll be late,"

"What happened in there? What did he say?"

"It hardly matters, it's all sorted now,"

"Please," he begged, his voice almost lost in the din of the street.

"He tried to warn me off you. If you must know," she replied with a sigh, "He still doesn't trust anyone outside our friendship group, and he doesn't want me getting hurt, that's all,"

"I Understand, I thought he might try," Neville admitted.

"Obviously, I made my stance on the matter perfectly clear," she smiled.

He nodded before glancing back at the building. "I noticed," He muttered dryly. It didn't make him feel any better.

"Now, come on, I'll tell you everything later," He sighed and nodded as he followed her through the street.

They passed Fandangle and Frippery once again, and Neville paused. He didn't see how he would be able to get her the earrings before Christmas unless he came clean. He glanced at her as she walked away and back at the shop before making his decision.

"Pansy?" He asked, causing her to stop and turn, her eyebrows lifted in interest.

"Are you alright?" She asked, walking back towards him.

Between their discussion in the common room and leaving, She had managed to do her makeup and hair in record time, dressing more like the Pansy he knew. She wore the green off the shoulder jumper that he adored along with the black corduroy skirt. However, she wore thick black tights beneath and large black boots to finish the ensemble.

She continued to use his Gryffindor scarf and the jacket, which he still believed was too thin for the weather.

"I've got a confession," he said with a wince. He didn't want to give the game away, but he couldn't see a way around it.

"Oh? Sounds intriguing," she smiled as she arched her eyebrow in curiosity.

"I have got you something back at the castle. But it's not a proper present, I wanted to get you earrings to match the pendant. However, I probably won't be able to get them unless I get them now. I didn't want to ruin the surprise, but I couldn't think of a way to do that," He asked in a rush.

She blushed and laughed as she took in his face.

"Neville Longbottom, you are utterly and absolutely adorable!"

"Also, I didn't want to get them you just in case your parents became suspicious. Would they, do you think?"

"Oh, don't worry about that! My father doesn't pay attention to jewellery unless it looks like it should have its own security. Some delicate earrings and a pendant would be invisible to him. Even if they were noticed, I could always claim I bought them myself. It's hardly unheard of for me to buy myself nice things," she winked at him as she fiddled with his jacket. "However, I'm sure whatever you've bought me at the castle is more than enough!"

He smiled sheepishly "Would you like to come in to choose?" He asked, motioning towards the door of the shop.

"You spoil me!" She said as she pushed into the small jewellers.

The air was cold in the shop, and even the jewellers wore fingerless gloves as they worked at their 'u' shaped benches. Pansy watched them with interest as they approached the shelves within the glass counter. The boxes twitched as they waited for instruction. As if on cue, they started to move around until only the Alexandrite earrings remained.

"Oh, those are beautiful" Pansy exclaimed as she peered in through the glass.

"Which ones?" Neville asked as he looked at the four boxes.

"Those, on the left. The ones with the loops," she said, tapping the glass with her finger. The earrings were silver studs not too dissimilar to the Celtic love knot he hat already bought her. However, these had a faceted oval Alexandrite stone set into the centre. He smiled. Out of the four, they would have been the ones he would have chosen.

He looked up as one of the jewellers came over.

"Ah, so this is the beautiful neck to which that pendant now belongs?" He smiled kindly as he noted the choice of earrings in the case. "Come back for matching earrings, I see,"

Neville nodded and smiled as Pansy blushed.

"Have you decided on a pair?" The jeweller asked. He reminded Neville of the story about the elves and the shoemaker. He was short and thin, his skin leathery and wrinkled. Hair clung to the lobes of his ears in short, white tufts.

They nodded as Pansy pointed to the pair of knotted studs. He nodded with a smile

"An excellent choice to match that pendant. You must be a very special lady!" He added before he turned. Pansy glanced at him and smiled warmly. Movement caught their eye as they looked back into the cabinet. The boxes did their awkward shuffling dance as the earlier earrings were replaced with engagement rings. Neville snorted as Pansy's blush deepened.  
He gazed down at the rings. "I'd be interested to see which one you would have chosen, I bet I'd choose wrong."

"I need some air," she said breathlessly as she backed away from the counter, looking like a rabbit in headlights before slipping out into the street. Neville's smile fell from his face as he watched her through the window, the air around her misting as she panted into the cold air.

He waited for the jeweller to come back so he could pay. Once purchased, he pushed the box into his pocket and took a deep breath before stepping back out into the cold street.

"Pansy, I'm sorry," he said as she kept her back to him.

"It's not your fault," she said with a sniff before turning around "It just reminded me that we're only temporary and as futile as it is, I really wish we weren't,"

Neville nodded sadly "I know! The idea of letting you go is inconceivable,"

He longed to hug her but was aware that they were in full view. As though reading his thoughts, she pitched forward and hugged him hard. He held her tightly, pressing his head to her hair. Of everything he owned, he would give it all to know he could keep her.

"Come on, let's go find Hermione," She said finally with another sniff before stepping away. He nodded as he released her, retaining her hand as they walked through the streets towards The Three Broomsticks.

The inn was still quiet as they entered in off the cold street. A few regulars sat dotted around the room, as well as a few early shoppers. They saw Hermione instantly as she huddled over a book on one of the back tables, nearest the fireplace. Neville told Pansy to go and join her while he got the drinks. It was far too early for anything alcoholic, so he ordered them a hot chocolate each. The thought of hot chocolate made his mouth water as he handed over his money.

Madam Rosmerta looked at him suspiciously as she deliberately slid the money from the countertop and continued to glance at him as she made up the drinks. Then, squirting whipped cream on top, she gave him an unfriendly look, her eyes sweeping him up and down. He swallowed nervously. It was obvious that she had read the article and recognised him. He wanted to object and correct her, but the words wouldn't leave his lips. He offered a weak smile in thanks before turning away. He wanted to run like a coward, but he took a deep breath and carefully carried the tray over to the girls.

He put the tray down carefully and slid it firmly on before collapsing onto the chair with a huff. He was relieved that after all that he hadn't also dropped the drinks. He felt like his hands were shaking as he handed the girls their glasses, but they looked steady enough.

"What's wrong?" Pansy asked before scooping some of the cream off the top with her finger, leaving a channel through the white, fluffy mountain.

"I think Madam Rosmerta has read the article, She gave me an odd look," He looked back over his shoulder where the landlady glared at him as she cleaned some of the glasses. Wiping the glassed almost violently with her tea towel.

"Well, that's not a friendly look!" Pansy said with a frown, "Want me to go and say something?" Neville smiled and shook his head.

"Well, we knew that some people would have read and believed it. However, we can be thankful that your picture wasn't used." Hermione pointed out as she wrapped her hands around her own glass before muttering thanks.

Neville hadn't thought of that. The thought made him feel a little bit better as, unlike Harry, very few people recognised him on the street.

"What book are you reading?" Neville asked to change the subject.

"Oh, it's one I've bought Blaise, The Universal Solvent by Zosimus," She said as she lifted the book.

"I have that book, it's an interesting read," Pansy said with a nod of approval.

"He spotted it the other week and said he needed to stop borrowing yours," Hermione replied sheepishly.

"He'll love it, I'm sure," Neville smiled as Hermione moved the book into one of her many bags.

"So… what did you and Harry talk about when you left us?" Pansy asked as she licked her top lip free of cream.

"Not much, to be honest, he had to shoot home. He's working the night shift this week and needs to get some sleep."

"I'll bet he does," Pansy snorted with a grin. They all smirked.

"Did you ask him about Draco?" Neville asked. Pansy winked at him and smiled.

"It may have come up…" Hermione smirked.

"What did he say?"

"Annoyingly, not as much as we would've wanted, but he did admit that he and Draco have been spending a bit of time together since the explosion. Apparently, after finishing up at St Mungo's, Harry apparated them both back to Draco's place where he settled him in… and now Harry's using Teddy and Andromeda as an excuse to be there every day…" They all smirked as Hermione finished. "I'm sure he never used to visit quite that often when they lived at home…"

"They're already sneaking around for each other, I think they're already fucking," Pansy said smugly.

"Really? Already?" Hermione asked with surprise.

"Oh yes, his desk was a mess, which is so unlike him and the ink from his inkwell had been smeared halfway across the top... I can think of no other reason for him to have such an untidy desk, it's so unlike him." Pansy turned to Neville and touched his arm with a chuckle. "He wanted to check his back so badly, Did you see, he kept pulling at his shirt as you were talking? I'll bet that it was the first thing he did once we left."

Neville smirked as he gingerly sipped on the chocolate.

"Oh, you think…" Hermione started, and Pansy nodded knowingly.

"I think, yes!"

"About bloody time!" Hermione nodded. They sat in silence for a while each smiling at the new revelation.

"Oh, did you managed to get all the presents you were after, Mione?" Neville asked as he looked up at the witch.

She hummed in confirmation as she swallowed her drink. "I did. Did you need to get anything else before we go back?"

Neville looked at Pansy, and she shook her head. "Nope, ready when you are."

"Maybe when we get back you can tell me what my present is?" Pansy teased

"I might even show you…" Neville teased back as they finished their hot chocolates.


	78. Theo's Awake

They entered the common room with rosy cheeks and numb noses as Neville handed over Hermione's bags so that she could take them to the dorms. The common room, as was normal these days, was full of people huddled over books or furiously writing, quill feathers waving wildly. As people looked up to take in the arrivals, the chatter lessened until a pin could be heard. Neville clenched his jaw as his mood soured. Watching people he had called friends, avoid his eye.

"Come on, ignore them, we know the truth!" Pansy said, and she touched his cheek. "They don't matter!"

He quirked his lips in an attempt at a smile. He didn't agree. Everyone's opinion mattered. It pained him that people could believe him capable let alone willing of such an awful thing. He looked around at his school mates who offered watery smiles or looked away completely and felt betrayed.

He followed Pansy to the stairs and noticed how the noise level rose again when they were out of sight. They pushed through the portrait door and into the quiet dorms. Neville tried to shake the worry as they approached his bed but could feel it festering like bad blood.

"So, what did you get me?" Pansy asked teasingly as she threw herself down onto his bed. It was her attempt to brighten his mood, and he smiled, leaning forward to kiss her head.

"A kiss?" He offered teasingly, only to get quick poke to the ribs. He laughed despite himself as he pulled away, leaving her full lips to pout at him sinfully.

"Tease! You know that the anticipation is killing me. I'm dying to know what you managed to buy while we were at the alley not to mention when and how!"

"It's too early, isn't it?" He said thoughtfully as he unwound his scarf from his neck. "I mean… it's not Christmas for two weeks..." he teased again. He looked over to her and grinned as she huffed and crossed her arms across her chest.

"But, I've been such a good girl," she pouted innocently. Neville snorted as the grin grew wider.

"Well, that's a fib right there! You've been exceptionally naughty!" He smirked as he wagged his finger at her.

"Well, yes, but you have enjoyed it, so is that that makes me good, maybe?" She said, unable to hide the growing smile on her lips ever as she tried to capture the bottom lip between her teeth.

"I suppose..." he said slowly.

"Please?" She begged, her perfect, white teeth flashing in the light.

"Please what?" He asked as naughty thoughts flooded his brain. There was a pause as Pansy smiled. She stood up and stepped close to him, pulling him into a hug.

"Oh, oh. Please, please. Oh, Neville, Please." She panted as though in the throes of their lovemaking. He shivered as the noises travelled straight to his cock making it tingle in anticipation.

"Ok, but only because you beg so well..." He said as he pulled her in for a kiss. Her lips were the same soft pillows that fit his own as though made for him. He pulled her tighter to him pushing his hand into her hair. She groaned again in earnest this time. He parted her lips to touch her tongue, longing to deepen the kiss. She followed suit, like a carefully choreographed dance, the other seeming to know where to be at exactly the right time. As the kiss slowed, they pulled apart. Neville felt slightly light-headed, and Pansy looked dazed as she smiled at him.

Returning to the bed, She straightened her hair as he opened his cabinet and pulled out the wrapped cube. Squealing in excitement as he handed it to her, Pansy began to rip the wrapping paper off. Once down to the box, she glanced at him and raised an eyebrow before opening it. There was a moment of silence as Neville waited with bated breath for her reaction.

"It's gorgeous, but... what is it? Is it another pendant?" She asked, her eyes narrowed as she picked it up, twisting it in her fingers as she examined it.

"It's a charm for that underwear set you bought, the one with the choker?" He said nervously, remembering the set and thinking about how good she would no doubt look in it.

"Oh, so that's where you bought something, that makes more sense. It's lovely." She grinned and glanced at him, "I feel like I should go upstairs and change," she winked.

Noises in the dorm drew their attention before Neville could say more. Blaise burst in, drawing their attention as he stood panting.

"Theo's awake," he breathed as he tried to regain his breath, leaning against the wall for support.

There was a pause before they sprang into action. Pansy stood before putting the charm back in its box and then into her bag. They abandoned their bags on his bed before rushing back to the portrait hole.

Hermione was waiting for them on the landing, a nervous look on her face as she greeted them. As they climbed out of the dorms and made their way to the hospital wing, Neville felt his gut twist with anxiety. There were lots of awful side effects to Hemlock poisoning that could be debilitating for life. He prayed that Theo was lucky.

The hospital wing seemed overly full of people in comparison to how empty it had been the last few times he had been there. Over half of the beds were occupied. Neville noticed the yellow and blue jerseys and realised with surprise that they had missed the Hufflepuff v Ravenclaw Quidditch game. Eyes of the Quidditch players watched them as they moved toward the curtained bed. Madam Pomfrey spotted them and rushed over, standing between them and the curtain.

"He's still extremely weak!"

"We assumed he would be," Pansy offered with a nod.

"No taxing questions, and keep his stress to a minimum; otherwise you will have to leave," she warned with a stern look before allowing them past her.

Blaise reached the curtain first and held it open as the girls stepped through. Neville hesitated before a nudge from Blaise coaxed him forward.

Theo lay almost as pale as his sheets as a fine tremor vibrated through his hands. He carefully turned his head and frowned.

"Pans, Blaise? What's going on? Why are Longbottom and Granger here?" He tried to push himself up in bed, but Pansy stopped him. She pulled the cover up, making sure he was comfortable before wiping away her tears and gripping his hand as she sat on the bed beside him.

"Shush silly. They're our friends now. Neville was the one who saved your life," she smiled as she pushed the dark black hair from his face.

"Oh," He paused for a moment, the frown deepening "So, are they here about the life debt?" He asked suspiciously, looking between Hermione and Neville.

"No, darling, no. Nothing like that. They really are our friends." She stroked his face like a mother would her child as she explained everything. Stroking the hair away from his forehead, Pansy smiled as Theo's eyes blinked and then closed. "When your memory returns, you'll see. You and Blaise introduced Neville to alcohol." She whispered

"And... did he like it?" his voice came out small and nervy as though he was the child.

"We got him very drunk, and I took advantage," Pansy muttered conspiratorially before throwing Neville a glance. Neville smiled slightly at the insinuation.

"Where's Draco?"

"Draco didn't come back for school this year, but he's working In Hogsmeade. When you're feeling better, we can take you down to see him," Blaise offered.

Theo nodded, the fine tremor in his muscles still present.

Hermione hung back next to Neville as the Slytherins regrouped around their friend. She looked upset, so he offered her his hand. She took it with a smile, leaning into him as they waited.

It felt like they were intruding on a family reunion as Pansy and Blaise huddled around the bed, talking quietly. They heard the curtains part behind them as someone pushed through.

A short woman with sandy blond hair stepped through, pushing the glasses back up her nose as she straightened herself up.

Hermione and Neville looked at her with confusion.

"Excuse me, who are you?" Hermione asked.

"Oh, yes. Hello. I am Ms Ent of Libertas Solicitors, here on behalf of Mr Parkinson. An you are?"

The name caught the attention of the Slytherins as Pansy looked over.

"Innis?" She asked with confusion, standing up from the bed. "What in Hades name are you doing here?"

"Ah, Miss Parkinson. How are you?" She offered with a smile. There was something about the woman that just seemed slightly off. She offered her hand to Pansy, who ignored it as she crossed her arms across her chest.

"What are you doing here?" She asked again,

"Ah, yes. Your father asked to be notified when Mr Nott woke up. And so as not to cause any misunderstandings, I was to come to greet Mr Nott in your father's stead to pass on his wishes and condolences."

"Condolences?" Theo squeaked from the bed. Neville watched the panic flash across Pansy's face as she turned to Theo.

"Don't worry, my darling. It's nothing," Pansy tried to soothe without taking her eyes off the solicitor before her.

"I think you should leave. Immediately!" Blaise said, flat and deep as he glared at the lawyer.

Not taking the hint, the short woman leant around them so that she could meet Theo's wide eyes.

"Good Afternoon, Mr Nott. I am Ms Ent of Libertas Solicitors, here on behalf of Mr Parkinson, your uncle." She said brightly. "He wanted to see that you were well taken care of and to send his condolences with regards to Mr Goldstein's death. A most unfortunate tragedy!"

"Anthony? Dead?" Theo's eyes widened, and almost in slow motion, it was as though the memories of the last few months hit him between the eyes. He closed his eyes as the tears started along his cheeks.

"Get out Innis, before I rearrange your features," Pansy growled angrily.

"Now, Miss Parkinson, I hardly think-"

"I am well aware of how little you think. The only reason my father could possibly have to keep you around is as his piece on the side." Pansy took a step toward the woman, pressing into her space, intimidatingly; her old sneer back on her face. "Now take your cheap perfume and your tacky arse back to the office, and if I see you anywhere near my cousin again, not even my father's deep pockets will be able to buy you back from the hell I'll put you in."

Neville swallowed as Pansy stood looking down at the woman, her grey eyes steely and hard. Ms Ent obviously had precious little experience with the Parkinson heir, as she backed away towards the curtain.

"Do. You. Understand?" Pansy asked slowly as though speaking to a child.

"I'll tell your father!" She shot back meekly as she fell through the curtain and out of sight.

"You do that." She snarled as the drapes closed her out again. "stupid bitch!"

Pansy turned back to the bed where Theo's trembling had become violent. Blaise was holding his hand, looking unsure and younger all of a sudden.

Someone pushed through the curtains again, and Neville jumped, expecting Innis to foolishly reappear. It wasn't the Lawyer, it was a disgruntled looking Madam Pomfrey.

"He's going into shock, I said to go easy with him!" She snapped as she shoed them all away from the bed.

"It wasn't us, it was Mr Parkinson's solicitor," Hermione argued.

"It doesn't matter now, I'm going to have to ask you all to leave," She waved her wand over Theo, his trembling getting worse.

"Please can I stay?" Pansy asked, her sneer gone from her face and a naked vulnerability left behind.

"Very well, but the rest of you will need to leave." She said, holding the curtains open, signalling the end of their visit.

Pansy held her hand out to Neville. He took and squeezed it, offering a reassuring smile before leaving.


	79. The Mermaid Window

It was early. Neville knew that much as he stared at the ceiling of his bed. A dream hadn't woken him, nor was Pansy in his bed, so he wasn't sure what had disturbed his slumber. All he knew was that sleep now felt elusive. Sitting up, he opened his curtains and swung his legs out of bed, the stone floor stinging his feet as he stood an pulled on his dressing gown. He guessed if he was going to stay awake, he could go downstairs and finish off his last bits of homework. He grabbed his bag and wand and tiptoed through the rooms.

Theo's bed still lay empty, and he wondered whether he would be returning to lessons today. As he pushed out, he thought of Pansy. Was she still in the hospital wing with Theo? The light from the kitchen startled him as he descended the stairs, so lost in his own thoughts.

Stepping around the stairwell, he peered into the kitchen, curious to know who was up at this time of night. Pansy sat against the cupboard as she rested her head on Blaise's shoulder. Just seeing them, he felt like he was intruding. He tried to turn and leave them to it, but their eyes rose at the same time, spotting him.

"Hey, Nev." Blaise greeted without moving. The jealousy that he was on the verge of feeling disappeared as they made no move to part. If they felt like they were doing anything wrong, they would have jumped away from each other. This was just how their Slytherin friendship worked.

Pansy climbed up and rushed to him, burying her face in his chest as she pushed her arms around his middle.

"Did you have a nightmare?" She asked, her voice muffled in his dressing gown. He hugged her back, feeling better at the warmth pressing against him.

"No, I just woke up." He frowned. "I'm not really sure why but I couldn't get back to sleep so I thought I'd finish some homework,"

"Good plan," She looked up at him, and her eyes looked red and watery, her eyelashes clumping together with unshed tears.

"Are you alright?" He asked, cupping her cheek in his hand. She nodded.

"She's lying," Blaise muttered with a groan as he climbed up from the floor. "She's been crying for a while over Theo," She turned and glared at him. "Hey, your knight in shining armour is here now, my watch has ended, and I'm going back to bed." He leant forward and ruffled her hair with a sleepy smirk.

"Thanks, Blaise!" She muttered dryly as he walked away.

"Don't you crazy kids do anything I wouldn't do. Actually, thinking about it, don't do anything I would do either." He shot another smirk over his shoulder before he disappeared.

"Such an arsehole!" She muttered as she hugged Neville tighter.

"How's Theo?" He asked as he put his bag on the table without letting her go.

She shrugged as she released him and turned away. That couldn't be a good sign. "Love?" he asked as he took her elbow.

"Pomfrey said that he's suffering from a serious shock to his system. I lay with him for hours, and he wouldn't talk. To me or anyone, he just lay there…" She sniffed, her voice rising higher. "He couldn't stop shivering,"

Neville gently pulled her back into a hug as she started to cry again. He rubbed her back as she sobbed, the overwhelming feeling of helplessness was all too familiar.

"It's a lot to take in, and the news wasn't exactly delivered with care. I'm sure with some time to get his head around it all, he'll be better." Her crying slowed as she nodded. "Try not to worry, my love. We don't know what the future holds, and there's no point suffering twice." He offered with a smile as he tilted up her chin.

He pushed her tears away with the sleeve of his dressing-gown, leaving behind two huge, doleful, moondust eyes. His heart stopped at the sight of her, even all red and puffy, he didn't think he could love her more.

"But what if he isn't?" She asked. It melted him further when he saw her bottom lip tremble ever-so-slightly.

"Then we'll deal with it when that's a fact. Until then, let's give him a little bit of time to work through everything."

"When did you get so wise?" She asked with a sniff as she tried to wipe her own face free of tears. "Salazar, I must look such a mess,"

"You look beautiful," He smiled as he pushed some of her hair out of her face.

"I do not, I need a shower!" He paused for a moment and grinned.

"I've got an idea,"

She looked at him and nodded as they both headed back to the dorms to get dressed.

"So, are you going to tell me why we had to head to the kitchens first?" Pansy asked, her brow creased in confusion. She stood looking around the prefect's bathroom as the sky lightened beyond the mermaid window.

"Just one more moment," He said as he put the brown jug on the marble step, smirking at the eye roll he received in response.

"I still don't see how this is a better idea than cuddling in bed." She huffed. He chuckled as he turned around to her, undoing his shirt.

"If I didn't know you better, I would say that you didn't trust me…" He grinned. She smirked despite herself before narrowing her eyes again.

"And if I didn't know better, I'd say you invited me here under false pretences… Why are you taking your clothes off?" She asked her eyebrow arched in interest.

"Hopefully, for the same reason you are," He winked.

"No fucking, remember?" She grinned smugly as she started to slowly remove her arms from the sleeves of her jumper.

"I'm never going to live that down, am I?" He asked, rolling his eyes.

"Probably not…" She said as she wrinkled her nose. She pulled the jumper over her head, exposing one of her new bras. He paused to watch, her pale skin and the purple silk complimenting each other as her breasts pressed against the material. Once the jumper was over her head, she glanced at him slyly, and he knew that getting him to notice had been her intention. He smiled and shook his head.

"Cheeky!" He grinned as he rolled down his pyjamas, leaving his boxers in place. "It looks great… as I predicted,"

She shimmied out of her skirt until she too was stood in just her bralette and tights. "You might want to take the tights off too, and anything else that you might not want to get wet."

She narrowed her eyes again before bending to roll her tights down. Neville turned and started to run the bath, letting the bath foam up before turning around. Pansy stood with her back to him, and the sight of her made his mouth water. Her pert bottom bounced as she folded her clothes and put them onto the side. She glanced over her shoulder and smirked, wiggling her bottom slightly. He closed his eyes and tried to force away every naughty thought, and idea he had. However, he was distracted by the memory.

"Don't be surprised, this underwear is new, and silk does not do well with water, no way am I getting it wet! My pyjama's just didn't survive the last time," she grinned as she closed her eyes for a moment remembering their fun in the common room.

He felt a smug grin spread over his lips as he tried to look apologetic.

"Do you want me to buy you replacements?" he asked, unable to curb his smirk.

"No, well, maybe. But only if you promise to ruin them again," She smiled and winked at him, causing him to laugh.

"Maybe." He offered. He stood there for a moment as she waited for him to decide what he was doing, he shook his head and slid off his boxers. It was the least he could do if she had chosen to be naked. He straightened and noted how Pansy's eyes took him in hungrily. He blushed. He didn't think he would ever get used to any one looking at him the way she did.

He cleared his throat and stepped closer, grabbing the jug and placing it on the floor next to the bath. He turned and offered his hand to her. Smiling, she took it and turned towards the tub. He realised that his cock had woken up and knew, by her grin, that she had noticed it too.

"Have I told you today how beautiful you are?" He whispered as she dipped her foot into the bath. After a moment, she deemed the water warm enough, and she moved in, releasing his hand and moving away from the step. Lowering herself into the water until the bubbles came to her throat. She stood waiting for him to join her, her gaze still devouring him as he stood there.

"You're only saying that to get into my knickers," She smirked.

"I'm wounded! Do you think I'm lying?" he asked as he edged in, finding the water slightly hotter than he'd like. He sat on the edge letting his legs acclimatise.

She rolled her eyes and smiled again. "So why are we here?" She asked, "And what's in the jug?"

"I'm hoping it's something that will help, but it's a bit weird. Do you trust me?"

She stood up and walked towards him. He swallowed, his mouth suddenly turning dry as the suds rolled down her wet skin.

"I'm completely alone and utterly naked with you." She whispered seductively as she pressed herself against him, brushing her lips against his. "So, obviously, I trust you,"

He closed his eyes as he felt her hot, wet hand wrap around his semi-hard length, his breath escaping in a huff.

"Maybe it's me, you shouldn't trust," The smirk was clear in her voice moments before kissing him hard.

She squeezed him tighter as she started to move her hand up and down, coaxing his morning wood to attention. His hands moved without conscious thought, gripping her waist and pulling her closer as he raised his right to her breasts. Long had he wondered how she would feel all slick and soapy. She let out her own breath as he toyed with the delicate peak, her skin feeling like hot silk in his palms.

He groaned as she cupped his balls, making him shiver and sigh.

"I've thought about doing this so many times," He confessed, his voice bearly above a breath as it glanced her skin.

"Tell me, please?" She begged against his hands.

"About coming here… with you. Feeling your skin covered in soap and water." He whimpered as she squeezed her fist, gripping him tighter.

"Yeah?" She asked desperately, "Then what?"

He moved her backwards as he walked into the bath with her, Covering her mouth with his own, desperate to feel her skin against his.

He lifted her up, feeling her so very close. It would be so easy to lower and slide inside. So effortless to thrust into her and sate the intense, throbbing need he had for her. He looked at her. Her face was slack with want at their eyes met. She nodded.

Fireworks of excitement went off as his arms began to release her.

Fantasising about how hot and tight she would be, he lowered her slowly, his heart racing in anticipation as he waited to feel her.

He stopped as common sense took over. He wouldn't do it. Pausing, he turned and placed her on the side of the tub, panting in frustration. He ground his teeth, knowing he could have taken her and loved her as much as he wanted to and she would have let him. He closed his eyes and felt her hand around him again, pulling him backwards between her legs.

"What happened?" she whispered,

He shook his head, his body moving into her hand automatically. He felt so close as he rocked into her fist. "No fucking, remember?" She snorted as she squeezed him again, drawing a cry from his lips.

"You could have had me," She whispered again, her breath tickling his skin. He nodded, words dying on his tongue.

"You could have pinned me against the wall and fucked me. I would have wrapped my legs around your waist, not wanting to let you go. You could have thrust into me as I scratched your back and moaned," She gasped against his ear. His pace stuttered as her words pushed him over the edge. She tightened her hand as he cried out, jerking and shaking against her fist.

Cuddling him to her chest, she supported him as his legs weakened and chest heaved.

"Thank you," He sighed as he rested his head on her shoulder. Stroking his chest, he felt dizzy and tired, wishing that he too had chosen to cuddle in bed.

"No problem, you passed the test," She smirked against his cheek.

"It was a test?" He asked with a frown as he turned to look at her.

"No, but you passed anyway," She smiled sadly.

"I'm sorry,"

"Nothing for you to be sorry about," She said as she tried to hide the hurt. "I'm the one that said no sex, so I shouldn't have put you in that position."

He fully turned around now to look at her and held her face in his hand before kissing her.

"I only stopped because I don't want to put you through any more pain, nor do I want to get you in any more trouble. I want you so much that it hurts. I don't know how I managed to stop myself,"

After studying his face, her frown melted away to a small smile. "Thank you." She said, pulling him closer for a kiss. He kissed her deeply, causing her to moan against his lips before gently moving away.

"Don't thank me yet, it's your turn," He grinned as he yanked her legs forward until the edge of the bath dug into her perfect bottom. She squeaked, her eyes wide in surprise as he lowered himself to his knees between her legs.


	80. Insecurities

Neville sighed in contentment as the warm water surrounded him. He was so tempted to fall asleep as Pansy readjusted herself next to him.

"That was a great way to start a Monday morning," She grinned, sleepily.

He hummed in agreement and nodded, giving her breast a teasing squeeze before slowly rising up.

"Come on, as much as I would love to stay here for the rest of the day. There was another reason why I dragged you here,"

"Finally, we get down to the mysterious jug…" She smirked as she stood slowly, the suds clinging to her hips and tummy as she rose.

He turned and sat on the step motioning for her to sit down between his legs. She raised an eyebrow but did as she was bid. Looking up at him with curiosity as he lifted the jug up.

"Now, as I said, this is going to be weird, but hopefully it should work," he said before gripping her shoulder. "Are you ready?"

"Erm, I guess so?" She said nervously before looking away.

Neville cringed as he poured the jug gently over her hair. Think yellow liquid oozed out of the pitcher and onto her hair, the scent of sweet vanilla filling the hot air around them. "Ooh, that's cold," She murmured as he reached up to touch the mixture. She lowered her hand and looked at it, pressing the jelly between her index finger and thumb.

Neville started to massage the slime into her hair, ensuring that he covered it all.

"Wait! Stop! Are you mixing custard into my hair?" She asked with a shriek "Are you mental?"

He laughed as he held her shoulder down, stopping her from rising.

"You said you trusted me, remember? And yes, I am. George said it should neutralise the hair dye and return your hair to a normal colour."

"Typical! It would have to be something food-related, wouldn't it?"

"Yep," He nodded as he scooped her hair up, pulling the custard through it all. "If you forget its custard, am I doing it ok?"

She hummed as he rubbed his fingers against her scalp. "Remind me to ask you to do this again, when the only thing in my hair is shampoo…"

He smiled as he rubbed it into her scalp. He could see the colour starting to dull as he massaged the custard in. Soon, shiny black strands covered her head, the green and purple hair now only a distant memory.

"Now, we wash it out." He sighed. She nodded as she lowered herself further into the bath until her head was completely submerged. She rubbed at her hair vigorously, the custard making the bathwater cloudy as her hair swayed under the surface.

She finally stood up, water dribbling from her nipples. It took everything Neville had to pull his eyes away.

"You know, I don't think I'll ever tire of seeing you look at me like that," She smiled sweetly as she stepped closer.

"I don't think I could ever look at you in any other way," He murmured as he looked down at his hands.

"Come on, your turn," She said as she shook her head, pushing him down the steps so that she could sit behind him.

"You're looking forward to this a bit too much,"

"Damn right, I am! It's not every day you get to cover someone in custard."

"Hey! I didn't cover you,"

"Only because you didn't think of it first," She laughed as she poured the cold slime over his head. It dribbled over his shoulders too, and he shivered.

"I'll remember that!" he replied, causing her to chuckle as she started rubbing the vanilla slime in.

"I'm not worried, my little Hufflepuff," She snorted.

"I'm learning all sorts of things this morning! So this is what you really think of me, is it?" He muttered, raising an eyebrow as he turned to look at her. She chuckled again. "You don't think I'll get my own back?"

"My darling, revenge is an abstract word in your world," she started to massage the custard into his hair, and he had to admit that it felt wonderful as she pressed against his scalp. He loved it when she played with his hair.

"I vow to reap vengeance upon you," he said half-heartedly as he closed his eyes to avoid the custard.

"I am terrified," She snorted before placing a kiss on his cheek. "and you are done," She smiled warmly "Time to rinse,"

He narrowed his eyes at her as he pushed back into the tub. He fought his own buoyancy to submerge his head, rubbing at it until all the custard residue was gone.

When he thought it was clean, he turned and pulled the plug before standing. He flicked his hair backwards before pushing the water from his face.

Blinking at her, he smiled, taking in her face as she watched him. Biting her lip, her eyes moved over his own slick body, and he wondered whether he had looked at her like that. He slowly moved closer until he was standing in front of her, all modesty over his nakedness gone.

A blush dusted her cheeks as she looked over his body and shivered. He grinned and offered her a hand up, which she took and used to stand with her usual signature grace. It was his turn to admire her. He moved his hands to her hips, his thumbs rubbing tight circles into the softness of her stomach. He deliberately urged her backwards until her back pressed against the marble wall. She cried out against the cold.

"So that there is no confusion," He whispered. "If I were able to, I would lay you down on this floor right now and have you screaming my name. I would leave you in no doubt about just how much I love you," He said pushing her hair away from her face as he kissed her, after a moment he pulled away, "And I would make sure that you couldn't walk right for a week!" He kissed her quickly before pulling away.

She stood, her breathing rushed as she looked at him and scowled.

"I take it back, about revenge… You know your stuff!" She pouted as she moved away from the pillar. He grinned as he found his wand and cast a drying charm on them both.

"That wasn't my revenge," He smirked as he started to pull his boxers back on. Pansy paused and narrowed her eyes as she calculated what his next move might be.

"Oh, Hecate! What have I done?" She shook her head with a growing smile as she too started to pull on her clothes.

"You've created a monster," he grinned before he sobered "I meant it though," he said, offering her his hand. She took it and smiled. "I would love to love you completely."

"I know, me too!" she nodded.

They got dressed in silence as the bath started to drain itself. Before long, all that was left were the glittering bubbles. Pansy grimaced at her hair as she felt the strands between her fingers. She tapped her wand to her head and cast a cleaning spell, making the hair smoother than it had been. It felt so strange to see her with her natural black hair. He mourned the loss of the green and purple that made her eyes seem even more cosmic. 

She tapped her wand to his head and did that same, and his hair immediately loosened. He ran his fingers through it and smiled. 

"Thanks." He said as he moved his now sandy hair through his fingers. "I think I need a hair cut," he said as he held his hair over his eyes. 

"Don't go too short, I like being able to run my fingers through, and grab it," she winked as she pulled her jumper over her head, hiding most of her creamy skin from view. "Come on, let's go get some breakfast, I've built up quite an appetite," she smirked again as she grabbed his hand. Squeezing her hand, he smiled as he followed her out of the bathroom.

"I still can't believe you held back" she muttered as she sliced the tomatoes. "I mean, you were right there." She paused as she threw a glance at him before she continued "I know you've wanted to."

The room was filled with quiet muttering as each pair discussed how to make their assignment - Pizza. Professor Taylor had thought it a great idea to try some muggle cooking. Their wands had been handed in at the front of the class, and each work station had been turned into a kitchen. Cooking – the muggle way. Neville felt quietly confident about this assignment.

He stretched the dough over the baking tray without looking up.  
"I did and do, but it's not all about me and what I want. I remembered all the fuss your parents made when they only thought you had gone all the way, and I didn't want to put you through that again. You also deserved a better... y'know, first time…" he stopped, but his thoughts continued as he looked up at her, surprised for a second by the black hair.

He would bathe her in candlelight and take his time, making sure she felt as good as possible. Not some rushed tryst in a bathroom. His face screwed up at the thought as he looked back down at the dough. It lacked every bit of romance for a 'first time'. And as frustrated as he had been, he was proud of himself for not giving in to the temptation.

"You're right, I deserve the best. But I have you which is kind of the same thing. I certainly wouldn't have complained…" Pansy muttered glancing in his direction.

He stopped and straightened. It was so unlike her to say such sweet and sentimental things in public that it caught him off guard. Smiling at her, he pushed the hair away from his face as he swallowed down his stupid reply. She started to laugh as she put down the knife and wiped her hands on the towel.

"What?" He asked, 

She stepped closer, glancing around the classroom first to check they weren't being watched before looking up at him. Her mercurial eyes glinted brightly in the daylight as she smiled. 

"Firstly, I love that crooked smile that you do whenever I do something unexpected," she said as she brushed her thumb lightly over his lips before moving her hand to his hair, "and you pushed dough and flour through your hair," Her eyes narrowed in concentration as she rubbed at the side of his face and hair. He glanced down to his doughy hands and sighed.

Rolling his eyes, he let her clean him up. Watching her face, he knew that he would never stop loving her even if she could never be his. She looked up at him and blushed.  
"Don't look at me like that," she snorted before turning back to her tomatoes.

"Like what?" He asked, stepping back to start with the tomato sauce base.

She hesitated before looking at him again "Sometimes, you look at me as if the rest of the world doesn't exist. Like you've put me on a pedestal, and I don't feel like I deserve it," She muttered glancing back to the tomatoes.

"I'm sorry," he muttered, keeping his eyes to himself. 

"Don't be, I'm also terrified, waiting for the moment you stop." She swallowed thickly before hurrying off to the front of the classroom, pretending to get ingredients.

Neville watched as she took her time. It was painfully obvious to him that she was rallying before she returned.

He knew what she meant. It was only now, after everything that had happened that he was starting to believe that maybe, just maybe, she saw him as something other than the bumbling idiot that he was so keen to escape. That he wasn't useless and stupid after all.

Trying to keep those thoughts at bay had taken up so much of his energy that he empathised. He was surprised that she felt just as insecure with him. What she didn't seem to realise was that he saw her now and remembered her from before. He remembered her being a bully and being spiteful and mean. However, he now saw the real person behind the fear and the stupidity of youth. He knew her heart. Nothing could ever push her from that pedestal, and no one would ever compare.


	81. Dancing In The Dorms

Everything about Professor Broadmoor screamed petit and fragile as she stood at the front of the class. Everything from her thin arms to the way her papery skin stretched over her bones. Her eyes were the only thing that belied the illusion. Neville didn't think he had ever considered brown eyes, cold before, but her eyes were.

It wasn't that she was cruel, she certainly wasn't vindictive like Snape had been. She was firm but fair. However, there was something unnerving about the woman. She never did quite what was expected, nor was she as fragile as she appeared.

The Professor was one of the only retired Aurors that Neville had ever heard of. Most were either too injured to continue, left because it was too hard, or died in the line of duty. She had been an Auror for longer than they had been alive but had been transferred to Azkaban when the Dementors were removed. Who better to teach Defence Against The Dark Arts than someone who had come face to face with them more than once?

She stood at the front of the class with her arms clasped behind her narrow back, looking as though a gust of wind could uproot her, as she waited patiently as they all piled. Once they were all seated and the room had fallen silent, she cleared her throat and began to walk around the classroom.

"Good Morning," She said firmly as she seemed to study the walls.

They responded, and she nodded.

"Well, we are in the final week of school, and I know that most of the other professors are doing "fun" lessons with you." She said as she gestured to highlight the word fun with her fingers. "However, I know that once you return from the holidays, the real work will start in earnest."

She turned her back on them for a moment before turning around and standing, her stance as sturdy as she addressed them. "I do want to do something fun as it is Christmas, but don't let this mislead you, It will be hard work, and some of you may fail, but if you give me one less drop of determination than I think you are capable of, I will make sure that you spend the entirety of next term in detention with me, cleaning up the room of requirement. Do I make myself clear?" She asked her voice thing and piercing in the quiet, dusty air.

They muttered their understanding as she proceeded to describe the details of the lesson.

"A Corporeal Patronus?" Pansy murmured before swallowing. She shook her head. "death eaters can't cast a Patronus," She whispered.

"Well, you're not a death eater, so you'll be fine!" Neville whispered back as he squeezed her hand.

"Do you have something you would like to share with the rest of us, Mr Longbottom?" Neville jumped at being called out.

"I was just wondering whether there is a reason that someone couldn't cast a Patronus," He offered as he felt the classes eyes turn to him.

"A very good question. Thank you, Mr Longbottom." She said as she continued to stroll at the front of the class. "Many of you have no doubt heard the tale of the dark wizard, Raczidian. In his determination to claim the young Eliana as his wife he was stopped by the meek, and shy Illyius whose tiny mouse protected their village from the onslaught of Dementors. Enraged by his defeat, he attempted to cast his own Patronus. Upon doing so, he forgot that only the pure of heart can cast the charm. It is said that Maggots spewed from the end of his wand and devoured him." She chuckled as some of them groaned in disgust. "Indeed, not a nice way to die. However, these are just tales to scare children into being good in the hopes that they will one day be able to cast their own Patronus. Now, of course, it is easier to be successful when you have a wealth of real and happy memories to draw upon, hence why darker wizards may not be able to cast this charm with any success. I can assure you that I have seen evil and dark wizards, and not one of you will become maggot feed today." She chuckled again with some of the other students, albeit they joined in nervously.

Pansy looked at him and smiled as she squeezed his hand under the desk. Before long, their tables were moved to the sides, leaving them with enough space to work. Neville felt like he was training with the D.A again. Ginny and Hermione were speaking with the professor, and he wondered what they would be doing with their time as they could already cast their own. He remembered watching Hermione's otter swimming through the air as Ginny's horse galloped around as though it were free in a meadow. Focusing on his memories, he wondered whether he would finally be able to cast a corporeal Patronus, like his friends.

He caught sight of Pansy and Blaise talking as they looked warily at their wands. Taking a deep breath, he tried to think of a happy childhood memory. He struggled, remembering the constant loss of his parents and the pressure from his family to be anything other than a Squibb.

Maybe that was his problem. Perhaps his memories were not happy enough. His eyes were drawn back to Pansy as she waved her wand to no avail. He remembered every touch and glance she sent his way, the way her hand felt in his. The scent of black cherries and violets on his pillow in the morning sunlight brought a smile to his face.

Closing his eyes, he tried again, combining every thought of her as he waved his wand. He heard someone gasp from somewhere near to him. He kept his eyes closed, too nervous to look. Slowly, he opened his eyes, hoping to see an animal revealed, but there was just a stream of mist coming from the end of his wand.

A silvery starling zoomed past as Padma grinned excitedly. Clapping along with his classmates, he couldn't help the disappointment he felt as he lowered his wand.

"Well done, Miss Patil. A Starling symbolises protection and hope. " The professor called as Ginny and Hermione returned.

"Well done, Nev. You're getting there!" Ginny smiled before walking past to the Slytherin's

"You are getting better," Hermione added with a smile.

"Can I ask you a question?" He whispered before looking around.

"Of course," She smiled.

"What is your happy thought? How do I know if my thought is happy enough or if I'm just terrible at this spell?" She smiled kindly.

"My memory was getting my Hogwarts letter," She shrugged, "Although its now memories of my parents, which is sort of bittersweet," She grimaced.

"Why can't I do this?" He asked again,

"Don't think about the memory, exactly. Think about how you felt when that memory was happening. It took me a while to understand when Harry was explaining it. Whatever your happy thought is, remember how it made you feel." She rubbed his arm as she too headed over to some of the others. He wondered whether Broadmoor had asked them to step in and help.

Taking another deep breath, he closed his eyes as he tried to clear his mind. He thought of Pansy again, his mind drifting to their conversation in Muggle Studies. He remembered how his chest hurt with how much he loved her. The sweet agony filling his mind, his heart thudding painfully as he remembered when they told each other that they loved each other, dancing in the dorms. He smiled against as he felt his heart thud loudly. Holding the excruciatingly saccharine pain in his memory, he tried again. He felt his wand vibrate for a moment, as someone else gasped. He blinked his eyes open hesitantly as he looked to the end of his wand.

Standing dumbfounded, he watched the silvery creature as it swayed like seaweed in the room.

"Well done, Mr Longbottom. A fine Seahorse! Patience, Generosity and Persistence. Well done!" Broadmoor called again. A round of applause erupted again as they all looked up.

His eyes sought out his friends as they beamed back at him. He had done it. Watching the thorny looking creature, he smiled as relief and pride washed through him. He glanced over at Pansy whose brow was now furrowed as she too tried to focus. He wandered over as his Patronus evaporated.

Ginny slapped him on the back as she grinned at him. She turned again as they watched the two Slytherin's concentrating.

Blaise was the first to produce anything, mist oozing out the end of his wand. He opened his eyes and looked relieved when only smoke seemed to appear. Pansy also seemed scared as though ready to drop her wand at the first sign of maggots.

He walked over as she lowered her wand, a sheen of sweat on her forehead.

"Well done, darling." She muttered with a slight smile "Can I see it again?" She asked.

"Hopefully, I'll try." He nodded as he let the delicious anguish fill him once again. He waved his wand and watched in awe as the seahorse appeared again. Pansy smiled as she got closer, looking at it.

"It's beautiful, I've never seen a Patronus up close before," she said in wonder as she studied it. "What did you think about? If you don't mind telling me that is," She asked bashfully.

Heat filled his cheeks as he pushed his hand through his hair.

"Promise not to laugh at me?" he asked nervously as the Patronus clung to an invisible branch as it swayed back and forth. He took strength from seeing it and plunged in.

"Of course," She agreed.

"I thought of you. When you told me you loved me," He whispered, looking away shyly before casting a glance back at her face.

She stood with her mouth parted for a moment, a thoughtful look on her face. "I see," She said finally before trying again.

The lesson continued in much the same way as more people started to produce mist. It was no surprise that former DA members, Terry and Susan, were the next people to successfully create a corporeal Patronus. Harry's tutelage had been brilliant, after all. Neville wondered whether Harry would ever consider taking up teaching again.

Neville and Pansy were both thrilled when wisps of mist appeared from the end of her wand, and something seemed to loosen within her at the sight.

"Told you that you had nothing to worry about," He grinned as they walked to lunch.

"Is this your version of 'I told you so'?" She asked with a smirk.

"Maybe," He shrugged, his grin still in place. "but, I wasn't wrong, though, was I?"

She smiled as she rolled her eyes in mock exasperation. "No, you weren't wrong," she sighed before her smile deepened, and she pressed up against his side.

"I wonder what your animal will be," Neville pondered,

"A leopard, I reckon," Ginny added from behind them.

"Or a scorpion," Blaise added. "She certainly has a sting in her tail," He chuckled as she threw a glare at him.

"What about a she-wolf?" Hermione offered.

"I thought a tiger would be nice," Pansy added. "Beautiful but deadly," She laughed.

Neville smirked and shook his head.

"I'm so happy yours took a form, Nev!" Ginny said, "Strange creature though, I saw yours being more like a Bull or an Elephant,"

They all seemed to agree except Pansy who shook her head. "I think the seahorse suits him perfectly. Like Broadmoor said, Patience, Persistence and Generosity. Can you think of many other people who have those qualities?" She asked. There was silence as they all thought and then shook their heads.

"True," Hermione agreed as they sat down at the table next to Luna. They all greeted her as they told her about their lesson.

"Well done, Neville. The seahorse is a wonderful creature. Did you know that the male carries the babies?" She offered, her accent lilting with the information.

They all shook their head in interest as they began to eat the food appearing before them.

"How was Care of magical creatures, Luna?" Hermione asked, "How is Hagrid?"

"Oh, he's alright. He tripped over his invisible horse again and gave himself another black eye." Luna added before pushing her sandwich into her mouth. They chuckled.

"Oh Hagrid," Hermione muttered with a shake of her head. "I might pop down and see him tonight. Did you want to come, Blaise?" She asked. He nodded as he chewed his food, his dark eyes all for her.

"By the way, Pansy. Your hair looks pretty. I did like the green and purple. Why did you change it back?" Luna asked, tilting her head as she looked at Pansy.

"It wasn't worth the trouble I'd get at home," She replied with a roll of her eyes.

"Oh, of course," Luna agreed. "But I think you should dye it back again next year,"

"Maybe, we'll have to see," She smiled before looking at Neville. Neville smiled and squeezed her hand again before taking a swig of his drink. He swallowed slowly as he wondered what the next nine months held for him, for them all in fact. He glanced around the table, a vague sense of unease filling him as he remembered the morning of Anthony's death.

Pansy, seeming to catch the tone of his thoughts, rubbed his arm and smiled again, drawing him back to the table.

"Where, in Salazar's name, did Hagrid get an invisible horse from?" Blaise asked, a look of confusion on his face.

"Probably won it in a game of cards," Ginny muttered before kissing Luna's cheek. They all laughed as the sense of unease was forgotten.


	82. Accusations an Apologies

Voices from the corridor seemed to echo around the hall as the doors closed slowly behind him. The hospital wing seemed almost cheery as the sunshine poured through the high windows. If the scenery beyond wasn't so white, one could be forgiven for thinking that it was spring.

Neville swallowed nervously as he approached the far bed. The others were thankfully empty as he neared. Theo trembled visibly as Neville paused. The dark-haired boy was still oblivious to his presence as he stared at the walls, obviously lost in his own thoughts.

He pushed forward almost reluctantly. Pansy promised that some of his memories had returned, but it didn't stop him feeling like an intruder. He was almost to the bed when Theo's brown eyes met his own.

"You alright?" He greeted nervously. He regretted his choice of words as Theo looked away again.

"What do you want, Longbottom?" He asked coldly, and he wondered just how many memories had returned.

"I came to see how you are," he added, "mind if I sit down?" He asked, reaching for the chair. Theo shrugged.

Neville sat down, rubbing his sweating palms on his trousers as he put his bag on the floor. He looked around again, almost expecting to see someone else in one of the beds.

"How are you feeling?" He asked. Theo shrugged again, the trembling still present as he lay there. Neville guessed it was going to be a very one-sided conversation, but that was alright.

"Everyone misses you," he said, feeling awkward and out of place. Theo didn't say anything, leaving him feeling even more unsettled.

He knew that he couldn't force him, and he knew that Theo would talk if he wanted, there just needed to be someone here for him.

"I've got some homework to do, but if you want to talk..." he let his words trail off before reaching for his bag. His mind turned to the 14 inches of parchment that Broadmoor had asked for detailing Patronus symbolism and uses.

Glancing once more to Theo before turning to his books, he savoured the quiet as he started to study, feeling inspired at the sight of his own Patronus. Madam Pomfrey came in not long after and smiled at him before disappearing back into her office.

As time seemed to fly by, movement caught his eye. He looked up, finding Theo attempting to sit up. Neville threw his books down and stood to fluff his pillows. Propping them so that he looked as comfortable as possible in the hospital bed.

"How are you feeling?" He asked as he sat back down. Theo glared at him as he crossed his trembling arms. The dread grew in Neville's stomach under the look, feeling as though acid were burning its way through his stomach.

"Retched, no thanks to you!" He snarled.

"No thanks to me?" Neville asked quietly.

"Well that's why you're here, isn't it? You feel responsible! Well, I won't assuage your guilt, you have every reason to feel ashamed!"

It was true, he did feel guilty. Incredibly so, hearing his friend speak only cemented it in his head.

"I'm sorry, Theo. I'll go. I didn't come to upset you!" he murmured as he started to pick up his books trying to shrink until he was invisible.

"No! You don't get to leave just yet! You stay! At least that way you can pretend to everyone that you're kind and caring. But I want you to know that I know the truth."

Confusion furrowed his brow as he narrowed his eyes at the former Slytherin.

"Truth? The truth about what?" He asked, his books forgotten in his hands.

"My boyfriend's dead, And I'm probably going to be like this for the rest of my life." He said, raising his trembling arms to emphasise his affliction. "You let it happen! You're as guilty as the person who poisoned the letter!"

"I tried Theo. Really, I did!" He felt tears pricking his eyes. "I did everything I could to save both of you, the poison got to him first,"

"No, you didn't! You left him to die!"

Neville shook his head, the memories of that dreadful morning returning with a vengeance. "Don't you dare try and deny it. You left him there, dying on the floor in the great hall in front of everyone when you could have saved him!" Theo's shaking seemed to worsen. Neville stood, worried as Theo became more wound up. "You could have saved him!" He shouted, "but you didn't!"

Tears appeared on his tanned cheeks as he shook, his temper and frustration boiling over. "Why didn't you save him? Why did you save me instead? He deserved to live more. What gave you the right to decide?" His voice was almost hysterical now, and his painful-looking shaking made his voice quiver. "Who even are you? You're no one! A blood traitor! A stupid, clumsy boy, who happened to be lucky with a sword! Who are you to decide if someone lives or dies?"

Neville struggled to take a breath as his own anxiety seemed to throttle him from within. He collapsed back down, his heart rate deafening him to Theo's words. This wasn't the time, he thought as he tried to fight off his attack.

"I'm sorry," he panted as he tried to ignore the burning in his chest. "I'm so sorry" he fought it as he struggled for breath. Theo was right. Who was he?

He closed his eyes as he tried to remember. He had really tried to save Anthony, just as he had tried to keep Theo alive. There had been nothing more that could be done. Madam Pomfrey and Professor McGonagall had both said the same, as had Hermione and eventually Pansy. If any of them had seen him slip up or do something wrong, none of them would have kept silent.

The knowledge of this helped him gain his breath and return to the room.

"I wish that I had never helped Pansy get to know you. It's brought nothing but heartbreak for everyone." He continued to seethe.

"Stop!" He found himself saying, his voice loud and firm and sounding like someone he didn't recognise. The look on Theo's face seemed to echo this as he looked startled.

Trembling himself, he stood up. "Don't you dare put this all on me, Theo. I said I was sorry about Anthony, and any words I could say wouldn't be able to express the remorse I feel for not having recognised the scent sooner. However, I was not the only one taking advanced Herbology sat at that table." He said clearly without the internal unsteadiness he felt. "Now, I'm going to say this only so that we're clear, not because I want or need your gratitude or forgiveness! I did everything possible to save Anthony, and when he was stable, I did everything I could to help you." He pushed his hand through his hair and sighed as he saw some of the vulnerability peeking through his stern gaze.

"Yes, you're right, I feel so incredibly guilty that I have nightmares about it. I would have done anything to save you both because you are my friend. I'm sorry that you feel I let you down, but I did my best. I'm only sorry it wasn't good enough,"

Theo's lip trembled as he started to cry. Their eyes met as Theo whined, the anguish broke Neville's heart. "But why wasn't your best good enough?" He sobbed loudly. Neville paused, before carefully moving to sit on the edge of the bed. He patted the former-Slytherin on the back before he was pulled into a wet embrace. Theo cried into his shoulder as he gripped him like a vice. Neville held him back, feeling his throat tighten and burn.

"I'm sorry," he repeated against Theo's ear as the other man cried. He nodded into Neville's chest, and he assumed that he was forgiven. He could feel the fine tremor vibrating through his arms as the sobbing slowly calmed. He wondered whether Madam Pomfrey had found something to ease the symptoms yet.

As though thinking of her invoked her presence, she appeared from the office. Looking at her face, it was clear that she had heard the entire thing. Their eyes met, and she nodded, looking apologetically at him as she lowered a tray onto the bed. Tissues, tea, and biscuits sat on the dark wood before she patted Theo on the back.

"That's it, let it all out!" she announced as they slowly broke apart. "Holding it in is like holding onto the poison. Drink this. Tea makes everything better!"

Neville nodded in agreement, taking the offered cup in his now free hands. Theo took some tissues and wiped at his eyes and nose before taking a biscuit. He stared at it for a long time after Madam Pomfrey disappeared back into her office. Even though she was now out of sight, Neville knew that she could hear everything and would appear if help was needed.

"I'm sorry," Theo murmured without looking up from the in eaten biscuit. He offered Neville a tissue and pointed to his robes

"It's okay," Neville said as he took the tissue and wiped at the marks on his shoulder.

"It isn't okay. Stop being so gracious, I don't deserve it," Theo whispered.

"Theo, Look at me," Neville said, urging him to look up. Brown eyes met his own, and he offered a comforting smile. "It's ok to be angry and upset. If you want to be angry at me, I understand. I really am so terribly sorry about Anthony,"

"He wanted to be a healer, you know?" Theo muttered, "He had his summer all planned out, he was going to volunteer at some aid station in the back-of-beyond somewhere. He didn't deserve to die!" Large tears dribbled down his blotchy face, and he looked at the biscuit. "He wanted to do so much good in the world. He was interested in merging Muggle and wizard healing. I should have been brave enough to open my own damn letter." He started to cry again.

"No one could have known what was going to happen, It's not your fault,"

"It's not yours either, I'm sorry I said that," Theo sniffed.

"The only person to blame is the person who wrote and poisoned that letter," Neville confirmed. "Now, drink your tea and eat your biscuit. Pansy said you've not been eating. She's also pissed that you've not been talking to her."

Theo shook his head, the ghost of a smirk on his lips. "She always proclaims how much she doesn't want children, but ever since my mother died, she's looked after and mothered me, and she's scarily good at it!" He took a tiny nibble of his biscuit before  
lowering his hands into his lap again. "She hides it well to outsiders, but she has such a kind heart!"

Neville nodded "I'm starting to think that all you Slytherin's do. Buried deep beneath a snobby and superior façade," Neville winked, bringing another slight smile to Theo's face.

"Alright, I deserved that," He nodded "However, Blaise isn't pretending, he really is just a snobby dickhead," They both laughed.

"So, has Pomfrey told you when you can escape?" Neville asked carefully, sensing that despite the laughter, that Theo's tears were still close to the surface. The Slytherin shook his head,

"They're still trying to figure out if anything can be done about my nerves," he said glancing at his trembling hands in his lap.

"It's the poison, isn't it?" Neville asked with interest.

Theo nodded as he tightened his grip on his hands self consciously, his knuckles turning white as he tried to still the tremors.

"It's not that obvious. I'm sure they'll work something out,"

"Hopefully," he said his voice sounding suddenly quiet and weak again. He yawned, covering his mouth with a trembling hand. Neville fought the yawn that threatened its way onto his face.

"Come on, rest now! I'll stay and work until herbology. I'll be here if you need me," Theo nodded before shuffling down under the covers.

"I'm really sorry for what I said, Nev," he muttered as his eyes fell closed.

"All forgotten," Neville replied, pulling the covers over Theo's shoulder before resuming his essay.

Theo had been asleep a while when Madam Pomfrey appeared again. She smiled sympathetically at him as she quietly approached.

"You handled that very well, Mr Longbottom," she whispered as her eyes slid to the sleeping boy in the bed.

Neville shrugged. His eyes looking to Theo too. His face looked so much younger asleep, and the trembling seemed to lessen slightly. "Are you anywhere near finding something for his shakes?" He asked quietly. Her face dropped as she shook her head.

"Professors Slughorn and Sprout are investigating the effects of Hemlock Water Dropwort poisoning. However, we have no further news as of yet." He nodded in understanding. If it was a modified poison, it could take years for someone to be able to concoct the correct potion to counteract all it's affects. He felt a sick feeling in his stomach at the thought.

"I'll speak to professor Sprout and see if there's anything I can do to help,"

"Thank you, Mr Longbottom. Now, why don't you go and enjoy what's left of your free period before your next lesson? Mr Nott will be fine here,"

He studied Theo for a moment longer before nodding as she helped him collect up his books before pushing them into his bag.

"When will he be able to leave?"

She pulled a face as she considered her answer. "He could leave now, but he's still very fragile, as you saw. I'll broach the subject with him tomorrow."

"We'll all be happy to have him back." He nodded as he readied himself to leave.

"I'm sure you are. Now, off you go," she said with a smile as she tidied his chair away.

Neville pulled his bag onto his shoulder before heading to the main doors and towards the greenhouses for Herbology.


	83. Gift Exchange

Neville sighed as he studied her pale fingers intertwined with his own. Her long nails painted in such a dark green that they almost looked black. Her hand seemed to disappear within his own clumsy paw.

"Knut for your thoughts," She said with a lazy smirk from his right shoulder. He turned his head and smiled before kissing her nose.

He shook his head, afraid to speak. Thursday seemed to have apparated around them, skipping Tuesday and Wednesday completely. Neville tried to cling to each moment knowing that as they neared the weekend, he would have to say goodbye to Pansy. Something in his gutted squirmed at the idea, as though it would be the last time he would see her.

He had never before been so loathed to leave school for the Christmas break. The thought plaguing him as their journey home drew closer. The only thing to distract him from the everpresent feeling of impending doom was the neverending flow of homework, and even that couldn't distract him for long.

He suspected that Pansy sensed it too; the omnipresent threat, as she clung to him like a sticking charm in the moments between lessons. The only time they had really been together but not with each other had been during Herbology. Watching Pansy guide Theo and his trembling hands through the motions of thing again as the dragon hide gloves quivered next to his skin.

He felt intense pride as he remembered watching Pansy helping him, like a mother patiently waiting for a child to figure out a puzzle. She was so calm and patient with him, and he wondered whether she knew what a wonderful trait it was.

Pansy rubbed her thumb against the welt on his wrist where the whomping willow shoot had reared back and whipped him.

"That looks sore," She said, pulling his hand towards her and pressing her lips to the wound. He smiled before rolling over to face her.

"I've had worse, and it feels much better now," He smiled, taking her face in his free hand. She smiled back, but, like his own, it seemed tinged with sadness. "Knut for your thoughts," He asked softly before gently kissing her lips.

"Never in my life have I wanted to stay at school over Christmas as much as I do this year," she said as they parted.

"I know what you mean," he said with a slight nod as he kissed her again.

"The elves are cooking goose, I love goose!" she said jokingly. Neville pretended to pout, but his smile dissolved it. "I don't want to go home, two weeks away from you will be torturous!" She said, avoiding his gaze.

"Come here," He said as she shuffled closer, he pulled her into his arms, pressing the length of her body against his. He closed his eyes as he savoured the sensation. "Draco said we could write using his owl, so at least we'll be able to speak with each other."

"Whatever you do, don't include your name, and use initials when talking about people. If my father was to pry then at least, we can avoid his finding out about you."

"I'll sign off as Gomez," Neville laughed.

"And I'll use Morticia," She smirked.

They fell into silence again, only the sound of their breathing filling the space. "I have something for you," she said as they parted,

"Oh?" he queried as she climbed over him. He smirked as she cast a mischievous glance at him. She reached her arm under the bed and pulled out a wrapped parcel. Neville sat up with a frown.

"How long has that been there?" she laughed.

"A little while," she smirked, knowingly. "Open it,"

"But it's a Christmas present," he laughed looking at the box. It was smaller and thinner than a shoebox and felt surprisingly weighty.

"Please? I want to see your face when you open it," She complained teasingly.

"Alright, just for you," He nodded. He started to carefully unwrap the present. The paper was beautiful, gold with holly sprigs and mistletoe repeated on its surface.

"Oh no, are you one of these people who doesn't like to rip the paper off?" She asked with mock horror.

"Not telling," he smirked back as the paper slid off virtually undamaged.

She rolled her eyes with a grin as she held her ankles, like a child waiting for the exciting part in a bedtime story.

The box was black velvet with flames twisting around the outside like a tribal tattoo. He frowned and looked at her,

"Just open it already!" she chuckled. He pushed open the box and stared at the contents. He was lost for words as his eyes spied the twisting glass.

"You remembered?" He said with surprise as he looked up at her—the Dragon glass quill laying in the dark velvet box.

"Of course I remembered," She smirked.

"It's beautiful!" he breathed,

"Now, let me see if I can remember all the details. It's dragon glass, obviously. With a Snallygaster heartstring core which is supposed to mean it's unbreakable," She winked at him, and he blushed. "It's also been enchanted with a lose-me-not spell and neatening charm,"

"It's stunning!" He muttered as he admired the workmanship. He could see the fine, glistering thread encased within the glass. It glittered like crushed graphite within the twisted glass, giving it a smoky hue. "I thought about buying one when I saw them in Scrivenshafts," he murmured as she smiled smugly.

"I know,"

"Thank you," He said, it was one of the most thoughtful presents he had ever received. Most people bought him things related to Herbology, which was fine if not slightly unoriginal. This quill was incredible and bespoke. Looking at her with awe, she offered him her cheek, making him smile as he leant forward to kiss her. At the last moment, she turned her head, capturing his lips with her own. They both laughed as they continued to kiss.

"Hey, You two had better be decent!" came a voice from the other side of Neville's curtain.

They parted with a frown before Neville poked his head out.

Blaise stepped in, arm in arm with Theo as he guided the shorter man to Terry's bed. He sat down before letting out a deep, tired sigh.

"What's going on?" Pansy asked as she too poked her head out of the curtain.

"You better be following the rules!" Blaise warned as he sat on Roger's bed nearest the door.

Pansy snorted as she pushed out of bed, fully clothed. She glared at them before pulling the curtain back.

"As you can see we were right in the middle of making babies," She said with a huff as she straightened her hair. "But since you so rudely interrupted, I suppose I'll just have to content myself with some impassioned lovemaking instead," She raised an eyebrow before sitting on the bed next to Neville.

He felt his cheeks burn. He wasn't sure he would ever get used to the banter between the Slytherins which could be both acerbic and crude at times.

"Oh, boohoo!" Blaise added with a smirk. "Sorry Nev, Didn't mean to interrupt your 'impassioned lovemaking', but Theo had some important news." Blaise offered before turning to Theo.

Theo nodded, his trembling making the action jerky and unnatural. He raised his hand, holding a letter out to Pansy. She frowned as she stood up and took it, pacing as she read the parchment.

"I'm looking forward to my friend Matteo visiting from Italy," Blaise commented as he shot Neville a meaningful glance. Neville smirked and rolled his eyes dismissively.

"Matteo?" Theo asked, "Matteo who?"

"Palmieri," Blaise answered.

"I don't think I've ever met and of that family," Theo frowned.

"No one has," Pansy muttered as she flipped the page, her face serious as she concentrated on the letter.

"I have," Blaise smirked. "And I'm going to bring him to the Parkinson Masque, especially as I can't bring Hermione," Blaise seemed to be testing the water with Pansy as he watched for a reaction. He laughed when he didn't get one.

"He wants to do what?" She finally said muttered as she rifled through the pages of the letter again.

"She's just got to the part where Potter wants to put Theo in witness protection," Blaise explained after seeing the confused expression on his face.

"They obviously still don't know or at least haven't apprehended the culprit yet," Neville offered with a sympathetic smile to Theo.

They all nodded in agreement.

"Potter has offered me a room at his house until it all blows over." He said, his eyebrows wide in disbelief.

Neville nodded, it made sense, it was unplotable, and it meant that there was an auror there with him.

"That's very kind of him," Blaise agreed. "If he was a Slytherin I'd say he had ulterior motives," he teased.

"He almost got sorted into Slytherin…" Neville mentioned before his eyes slid back to Pansy.

"What?" They said in unison at the news.

"It's true, he asked to be in Gryffindor," Neville nodded.

"I knew there was something I liked about the man," Theo added with a grin.

"Well don't like it too much otherwise Draco might throw a tantrum,"

"Good point, well made," Theo agreed, and they all chuckled.

"This is ridiculous!" Pansy announced finally as she whirled around to look at the two Slytherin men. "I can't believe it is taking so long to find out who the poisoner is!"

She landed heavily on the bed next to Neville before passing the letter to him.

"At least if he lives with Harry he should be safe from it happening again,"

"But for how long? Will he have to live with perfect Potter forever?"

"Calm down, Draco!" Blaise smirked with a roll of his eyes.

"I only have to stay over Christmas, and then I come back here. And, to be honest, it'll be a nice change than staying home alone, or coming to your house." He winced apologetically.

"Exactly, you'll be leaving me on my own. At least when you're there, My father has got to at least pretend that he likes me." Pansy pouted.

"Sorry, Pans." He frowned.

"But, on the plus side, He gets to spend boxing day with the Weasleys and Neville," Blaise added cheerfully.

"Oh, of course," Neville smiled. "You won't know what's hit you!"

"Now that I come to think of it, this plan may have some hidden pitfalls…" Theo said, a frown appearing upon his mouth.

"The Weasleys have the best house in the world. Small and crowded but filled wall to wall with love,"

The Slytherins all looked at each other in disbelief before looking at Neville. He laughed and shook his head. "Don't worry I'll look after you,"

"You better!" Theo warned.

Pansy chewed at her lip thoughtfully as the conversation flowed around them all. Neville told them about the food and the discussions. And about the quidditch matches in the field out the back.

"You'll love it. Ron said that all his brothers are coming back so you'll get to meet Charlie, He works at the Romanian dragon reserve. Then there's Bill and Fleur, you remember her, she was the Beauxbaton champion during the Triwizard tournament. They're expecting their first child in April."

"Sounds like you're going to have loads of fun surrounded by Gryffindors and pregnant women" Blaise joked.

Neville deflated slightly. He could think of nothing better than a boxing day at the Weasley's. The energy and the comfort in the house was everything he aspired to have when he had a family of his own.

"Now, on to more important things!" Pansy interrupted briskly turning to Neville. "We were swapping Christmas presents when you rudely interrupted!" She said, throwing a scowl to the two boys. She turned back to Neville and smiled, lifting his mood again.

Rising from the bed, he moved to his cupboard and opened it. He first pulled out the two identical gifts and handed them to Blaise and Theo before returning to his cabinet.

"Thanks, Nev!" Theo offered as he opened the wrapping paper.

"Nice!" Blaise nodded in appreciation, admiring the decorative glass.

"Madam Rosemerta sends her warmest regards," Neville muttered as his hand brushed the ring box. He paused for a moment before opening it and sliding the silver band over his right index finger. If he got used to wearing it now, the next time he saw her in her underwear, he would be able to tease her. He smirked at the thought before grabbing the small box with her new earrings in.

He turned and handed the box to her before placing a kiss on her cheek. She smiled as she opened the box. The knotted silver and alexandrite earrings sat, shimmering in the light.

"Oh, darling, they are exquisite, You have such amazing taste! I am so lucky," She smirked as she pushed the small silver shafts through her ear lobes.

"Yes. Yes, you are," He smirked before kissing her head. He sank down onto the bed, propping himself up to look at them all, all the while feeling the silver ring warming on his finger.


	84. Wishes And Prayers

A nervous churning held him to the bed as he looked around the empty room, his heart hammering away in his chest as though he were running from something. It wasn't a panic attack exactly, as he could still breathe, but the air seemed denser, filled with tension that seemed to thicken his blood making his heart work for every beat.

Neville sat there listening as the snow rushed against the windows, the wild winter wind whirling ferociously around the high tower. The only other sounds being voices from one of the far off rooms and a clock. The steady tick echoing around the still room as though counting down to a final moment, a grand finale.

A sickly feeling had roused him from sleep that morning, long before the sun rose. However, the arrival of daybreak failed to lift the atmosphere, and the completion of his packing hadn't relieved the suspense. It coiled away in his gut as his eyes surveyed the space. He had an overwhelming feeling that as soon as he left this room, his life was going to change beyond all recognition. Some great event would hinge on this single, solitary moment. He knew he wasn't prepared for that but didn't think he had any other choice.

He closed his eyes as he sent up a prayer to any God, Goddess, divine being or power that could hear him. He thought about the wish he had made in Diagon alley. As he sat with his head bowed, praying, he thought of that wish. Weren't wishes and prayers the same thing? Asking for help and asking for a specific outcome? Again the weight of such a responsibility seemed much too vast for him to fathom. He asked for energy to be at his disposal if change should come, and that it had everyone's best interests at heart. He thought that was reasonable enough. Happiness was possibly too much to ask for, but he threw it in anyway. After what everyone had been through, a bit of joy was sorely needed!

As though the Fates had heard his plea and responded, a knock at the door sounded, drawing his attention. Theo stood there, looking nervous about intruding.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to disturb you," he offered quietly.

"Don't worry, you didn't" He smiled as Theo stepped in. "Everything alright?"

"Yeah, I was about to ask you the same thing?"

Neville nodded as he looked down at his hands.

"I'm alright. Just feeling a bit anxious, that's all,"

"You anxious about going home?" Theo asked as he sat on the bed next to him.

"I just…" he paused, something stopping him from saying more. "Yeah, I guess. A little bit," he lied.

"I can relate, but this time I'm not going home, I'm going somewhere else," Theo said with a derisive snort. "So, What's Harry like? What about his house? I've bearly ever spoken to him,"

"Harry is a good guy. He's fair, honest and a surprisingly good cook." He paused as he tried to remember the house. He hadn't been there many times. He wondered whether the house was still a bit dingy and depressing. "His house is tired, but he's not been there long, also depends on how much he's managed to do over the last few months." The last time Neville had been there, even the air had felt dank and grey, with its dark and mouldy walls, peeling wallpaper and the dust that seemed to cling to furniture like a rug. He hoped for Theo's sake that Harry had managed to make it liveable.

"Sounds delightful," Theo said uneasily.

"Just don't judge Harry on the house, he's usually pretty tidy,"

Theo nodded thoughtfully for a moment before another knock came at the door. They both looked up in surprise.

"Are you guys coming to breakfast, or what?"

Pansy stood in the doorway, smirking at them as she leant against the doorframe. Almost immediately, the suspense in the air seemed to lessen with the sight of her smile. He still felt uneasy, but the feeling of relief loosened the tight hold it had on him.

"Come on, You know that the trolly lady only does the pasties," She said with a roll of her eyes.

The pale woollen dress was tight, clinging to her hips and showing off her flat stomach. It cut off at the thigh, allowing a glimpse of her trademark stockings above tall, high-heeled, black boots, that made Neville's blood fizz. She smirked and raised an eyebrow as she watched him.

"At least we get a packed lunch, being stuck on a train for nine hours is virtually unbearable," Theo complained as he stood up.

"I guess it depends on the company," She said, flashing another smile at Neville.

Neville smiled back as he stood, suddenly finding the strength to stand. His case with all his belongings had already been packed ready to be loaded onto the train. He took another look around, feeling he had forgotten something. Something important. However, after not finding anything amiss, he grabbed his coat and scarf before following Theo towards the door, where Pansy waited for them.

"You alright?" Pansy asked. Studying him with her eyes, her smile dropped at the edges with concern. He nodded and smiled.

"I'm alright, just apprehensive." He replied.

"About what?" she asked as she threaded her fingers through his. He held back, letting Theo carry on.

"I just feel like something's missing, or something is about to happen. I can't explain it." He said with a sigh,

"I know how you feel, it's like forgetting that you've got detention?" Neville thought about it and nodded. It was probably the closest analogy he could think of. "Well, try not to worry. When we get on the train, we'll try and find somewhere for just us," She winked.

"I'm not holding my breath, the train gets pretty busy."

"Hi, I'm Pansy Parkinson," She said as she offered him her hand. Narrowing his eyes, he looked at it in confusion before she continued. "I don't believe we've met before, as you don't seem to realise how persuasive I can be," She said sarcastically as she raised her eyebrow.

"Come here," He chuckled with an eye roll as he pulled her in for a kiss. "I love the dress, is it new?" he asked as he ran his free hand down her side before linking his fingers with hers.

She nodded against his lips before running her other hand up and through his hair at the base of his neck. He shivered at the touch, feeling her smile against his lips.

"Nice to meet you, Miss Parkinson," He said, lifting her hand gently to his mouth before pressing his lips against her knuckles. "And I'm sure you can be incredibly persuasive,"

She grinned as they broke apart, their hands remaining linked as they made their way to the great hall.

Breakfast was over almost as soon as it began, as though the whole day were running five times faster than normal. They ate and chatted in the busy hall, everyone excited to be breaking up for the holidays. The rooms seemed to be filled with Origami penguins and snowmen, and animated snowflakes drifted around them as they finished off their drinks. Then, suddenly they were all walking down to the carriages, as though no time had passed at all. It made Neville dizzy at how quickly the morning seemed to be going.

It was unsurprising that the atmosphere was subdued as they and their belongings were loaded onto the wagons. Since the war, almost the entire student body could see the Thestrals pulling the reigns. Only the luckiest of them or the innocent first years remained under the illusion that the carts pulled themselves, the reality far too grizzly and outlandish to be believed.

The first years maintained their excited chatter as Hagrid walked them down through the trees, towards the boathouse, their shrieks and laughter painfully at odds with the sombre atmosphere only metres away.

Once on the carriages, they remained silent, thinking of all the people they had lost throughout the war. Neville watched as the towering castle slowly shrank until only the high towers could be seen beyond the trees. He could see Lumos tower as it slowly disappeared and with it that part of his life. He turned back to them all wondering why this sense of foreboding had hit him so hard.

"I do miss Vincent sometimes. He was painfully stupid, but he always liked to make people laugh." Blaise said quietly into the silence, a cloud of breath escaping like a ghost into the air.

"Yeah," Theo chuckled before looking down at his gloves.

"Remember the time Draco made him polyjuice into a little first-year girl? I called him Vincentina for the whole year," Pansy smiled sadly. "He was a stupid arsehole, but he was ours." The Slytherins nodded somberly as they avoided everyone's eye.

Neville had lots of memories of Crabbe, and none of them were fond. Memories of being tripped or pushed, in fact, he had been jinxed by him and Goyle more often than he could count. Despite being so incompetent at magic, they had mastered every jinx, hex and curse going, with the obvious exception of the fiendfyre.

He remembered the pleasure the two goons took from being the Carrows' little helpers. The look of childish glee on their faces while 'instructing' students with the Cruiciatus curse was something that would haunt him to the grave.

Many of the children he and the others had tried to protect had been 'students' of the two. He shared a glance with Luna and Ginny as the cart bumped unsteadily towards the train station. Hermione didn't know the grim realities of life inside the castle during the carrows' tenure. Only he, Luna and Ginny saw the weak, quivering souls left behind. He swallowed thickly before looking away, deciding to stay quiet on the subject. The Slytherin's were entitled to mourn their dead in their own way. He didn't have to agree with them, but he could never forgive Crabbe or Goyle for their roles, nor would he.

Neville was thankful when the awkward ride was over, and they could distance themselves from the skeletal Pegasi and the gruesome conversation. Once on the train, he let out a deep breath. The familiar scent of coal smoke and beeswax reminded him of every single trip on this train.

He followed Pansy and the others, who led them down through the carriages. He remained silent when there was no space for them to be alone, and only offered a smirk when she narrowed her eyes at him, daring him to say anything about it. However, they did manage to commandeer a compartment which all of them could squeeze into—the previous occupants 'volunteering' the space, when they all appeared at the door. Neville watched the fourth years grumble as they moved further down the train, before moving into the compartment himself.

Once seated, they groaned and complained, as the compartment was really only designed to hold six or less.

"This isn't going to work. Not for nine hours!" Theo announced before standing up. "I'll go and find a seat somewhere else." He said as he moved towards the door.

"You will do no such thing!" Pansy demanded firmly. "Sit down!"

He did as he was told as they all tried to figure out how to make it work.

"I'll sit on the floor." Neville offered "Just keep your feet off me," He smirked as he lowered himself down, pressing his back against the wall under the window.

"Are you sure you're going to be alright down there?" Ginny asked.

"I can always get up and have a walk around in a bit," He said as he rolled his coat up, propping it behind his back. Pansy stood up and lowered herself down between his legs.

"Pansy! Get off the floor," Blaise grumbled, "That is no way to behave!"

"Fuck off! If you don't like it, find another compartment." She said with a smirk. Blaise rolled his eyes as Hermione cuddled up against him, book in hand.

"Oh, I see how it is... It's alright for me to leave the compartment…" Blaise started snidely, but Hermione thrust an elbow into him.

"Shush! It's fine," She said with a warning smile. "She's happy on the floor with Neville, drop it,"

"Fine," Blaise said finally with a huff before looking out the window.

Neville smiled as Pansy lowered her back against his chest, the scent of her hair filling his nostrils as he nuzzled into her neck. She smelled so sweet and delicious that he gripped her tighter so that he could get more.

The train jerked, knocking them all as it tooted its horn. They all gave a collective sigh as the scenery started to move beyond the glass. Nine hours of boredom before they reached the dark platform of Kings Cross and when the holidays really began. Drawing his attention, Pansy wriggled her bum against him, probably on the outward pretence of getting comfortable. However, the glance she threw over her shoulder at him told him otherwise.

He smirked before closing his eyes and resting his cheek on her shoulder. He knew that the next couple of weeks was going to be torture without her so didn't dare loosen his grip, holding her tight.


	85. Green And Grey

Somewhere outside Birmingham, they moved to the chair as Blaise, Hermione and Theo left to track down the trolly lady. Ginny dozed in the seat opposite as Luna read the Quibbler. Pansy lounged with her back pressed against Neville, stroking the arm around her sleepily as he gazed out of the window.

Rain and condensation clouded the glass making the scenery beyond nothing but a blur of green and grey. The sense of foreboding clung to him as they moved further away from the castle. With Pansy at his side, it didn't increase but it never truly left either. He gave her a squeeze before kissing her head. She hummed in contentment before shifting against him more. His scratched at his finger where the ring sat, his skin not yet accustomed to wearing the silver band. He brushed a thumb against the shiny surface before turning back to the window.

Pansy jolted slightly before sitting up in a panic. Neville was instantly alert.

"What's wrong?" He whispered, not wanting to wake or disturb Ginny and Luna.

"I felt…" she motioned lower with her hands as she glanced to the two girls opposite.

For a moment, he waited for her to explain further, but as she looked around for an explanation, it dawned on him what must have happened.

"This?" he whispered as he brushed his thumb against his ring again. She jumped, her teeth burying themselves in her lip as she stared at him wide-eyed.

"How?"

"Maybe it's just my Christmas charm…" He whispered as he pulled her close. He glanced over at the others who were still oblivious. Her hand rushed to her throat, and he caught a glimpse of her choker.

"You…" She started but was cut off as he stroked the Gebo rune on the surface of the silver. Crossing her legs at the ankles, she sighed as she wriggled against the chair.

"Just say if you want me to stop," he breathed against her ear as he teased her repeatedly with his thumb. Nodding her head, she clamped her plump lip between her teeth to keep herself silent. Torturing her to the brink, he studied her face, memorising the curves and plains, how her brown furrowed and her mouth parted, teeth indents still clear in her dark red lips. She clutched at his arm tightly through the jumper as she trembled, so close to falling over the edge.

The compartment door slip open as the other three returned. Neville stopped as Pansy tried to regain her composure and sit up.

"You alright, Pans?" Blaise asked as they pushed in. Pansy nodded soundlessly before turning dilated pupils to him.

"She's ok, she fell asleep." He explained as he stood up, he took her hand and pulled her to her feet unsteadily, thankful that his coat was long enough to cover any embarrassment.

"Where you off to?" Hermione asked before opening a box of Toothflossing Stringmints.

"We need to stretch our legs," Neville tried as he edged them towards the door.

"Careful, one of the third-years has set of a dung bomb in one of the carriages," Theo said, his face screwed up in disgust.

"Thanks," Neville nodded before guiding Pansy outside. He slid the door closed behind him before Pansy started pulling him down the train.

"I need you," she growled quietly as they were out of sight of the compartment.

"What about the luggage cart?"

"Perfect," she nodded as she started to pull him that way, He stopped with a grin holding her back.

"I don't think you've had enough teasing yet," He whispered as he pressed her against the wall. Her eyes fell closed as he pressed his lips to her jaw. "I think you can handle some more," he smirked, "If you can last until we get to the baggage cart without coming I'll give you anything you want,"

"Anything?" She whispered, her blown pupils staring at him longingly.

"Anything, but no matter what I do, no coming until we get into and shut the carriage door, yeah?" he asked, his heart racing at the thoughts rushing through his head. She swallowed and nodded as she licked her lips.

"Agreed, however, if I make it, I need you to fuck me hard against the wall until I can see stars." She teased.

It was his turn to groan and close his eyes as his cock bobbed at the idea. The image of it stirred him as he started to throb.

"Ready?" he asked.

"You have to agree, no weaselling out!" she said as she pushed a hand up his jumper to feel his warm skin.

"Alright, I agree." He said hoarsely,

"Now, I'm ready," She smiled. "Do your worst" she teased as she gave him a daring glance. "Why are you smiling like that?" She asked suspiciously

"Because I know something you don't know,"

"Really?" She asked with a smile, "And what, pray tell, is that?"

"That this," he said, swiping his finger against the metal and bringing a sinful sigh to her lips. "Is not the only thing it does…"

Neville watched as her eyes widened at the ring, he tapped it once and then twice, relieved to know that the sound wasn't audible to anyone else. The only reason he knew it was working was the look on her face. She threw her head back against the wall as her thighs rubbed together as she tried to gain friction.

"Don't forget our wager…" He teased gently as he claimed her lips with his own.

She moaned into them, and he knew she was coming, as she jerked against his thigh. He waited for the spasms to subside before pulling her away from the wall and through the nearby door.

"Neville, It's not stopping," She said with a note of panic in her voice as they moved into the next compartment, slowly weaving their way through people as they made their way towards the rear of the train.

"I know, I want to see if you could actually make it to the luggage cart," He grinned, her hand tightening on his as he guided her through the other students.

"Hey, Neville!" Called Korsty from one of the booths, Neville turned and smiled. As usual, she sat with her other friends, Daisy, Quinzee and Nessie.

"Hey, you lot," he smiled. "Everyone ok?"

"Not bad, you?" She replied, looking at Pansy with interest. The others nodded silently, their eyes darting between him and Pansy, "What you got planned for Christmas?"

"You know, the usual. A great big goose and free-range of my greenhouse," He replied with a smirk.

"A guy after my own heart. I love goose!" She replied before turning to Pansy, "What about you, Parkinson?" She asked. Neville noted the slight change in tone. It wasn't hostile, but it wasn't as warm, as though she was unsure of her welcome.

"Erm, yeah, Lots of erm…" She paused before looking to Neville for an answer.

"Sorry, someone caught her with a Confundus," He smiled.

"Oh, right…" Korsty replied knowingly, eyeing Pansy careful before she smirked. "Well, you best go and take care of her while she… erm… recovers."

Neville blushed and nodded.

"Good plan… talk to you all later. Have a great Christmas." They all nodded while Daisy watched solemnly as they retreated away. He heard Korsty laugh as she turned back to her friends and let out a breath. That Korsty, she was far too perceptive for her own good.

"Neville," Pansy whispered "I'm…oh!" she started to pant as he pulled her through the door, the corridor was quiet as they passed through, all the Slytherins keeping to themselves. Pansy stumbled, and Neville caught her as they reached the final cart.

He pulled open the door and pushed in, helping Pansy through as she spasmed. Free to make a noise, she started to moan and cry as she fell against one of the trunks. He watched as she fell apart, feeling his cock twitch at the sight of her.

He tapped his ring again, stopping the sensations as she relaxed. She panted against the case as she slowly recovered.

"And you've waited" She gasped, "all this time," she breathed again. "To tell me about this present?" He smirked as he pulled her up.

"I was going to tell you when I gave it to you, but we were interrupted, remember?"

She nodded. As she finally took a deep breath.

"That was…" she shook her head as she looked for the word,

"Good, I hope?" Neville smiled. She nodded before looking at him.

"I see dominant Neville came out to say goodby before…" she said with a tinge of sadness as she cupped his face.

"Yeah, I love seeing you fall apart like that," He admitted with a blush. "And that you trust me enough to let it happen."

She smiled as he leant forward and kissed her.

"So, speaking of trust, do you trust me?" she asked as she rose up from the luggage.

"Of course," he answered without thinking. She grinned as she knelt between his legs. Following her with his eyes, as she rubbed her cheek against the bulge in his jeans.

"Someone looks neglected," She pouted as she carefully undid his jeans, allowing his cock some freedom, He sighed with relief before she exposed him to the air. She smirked before her dark lips enveloped him.

He groaned as he watched, the lipstick leaving marks around his shaft as she began to move around him. She kept his gaze as she sucked and licked around his skin. It wasn't going to take long for him to come, the lipstick and eye contact tightening his balls. He tapped his ring and started stroking the metal, groaning as she hummed in pleasure around him.

He closed his eyes as the sensations built further. He tapped the ring a second time, setting off the vibrations in her knickers once again. She hummed desperately around him, her rhythm stuttering as her own pleasure threatened to spill over.

She started moving up and down as though riding him, her eyes falling shut as she continued to work her lips and tongue.

"I'm so close," He whispered as he felt his balls tighten and the pleasure push him over the edge. She hummed around him urgently as she came again, one hand pushed between her legs while the other held him at the base.

Slowly, the sensations faded as she tucked him back into his jeans, and he stopped the ring one final time.

He slid to the floor beside her and held her close, kissing her and stroking her hair.

"I love you so much" he breathed before kissing her forehead. She sniffed, drawing his attention. He moved to get a better look at her before starting to wipe away the tears pouring over her cheeks. "Don't cry, please," he begged, feeling the tears prick his eyes. "It's only for two weeks," She nodded, but the tears continued.

"I know," she choked, "But why does it feel like I'm never going to see you again?"

He pulled her close and shushed her as he stroked her hair, wondering why they both felt like this was the end of the line. "I'll write every day, so much in fact that Malfoy will be sick of the sight of grans owl,"

She chuckled through the tears, Neville rummaged in his back pocket for a handkerchief before wiping her eyes and handing it to her.

"You better!" she said, "I hate being at home, It's so lonely."

"You won't get the chance to be lonely. My letters will keep you so busy, you'll believe I'm there with you," She smiled at that

"I wish I was coming with you, even if it means battling it out with your gran." She smirked.

"I think Gran likes you," Neville smiled, "She asks about you in her letters. You must have made an impression,"

"So, you didn't need to step in and protect either of us after all," she said confidently, but the act didn't fool Neville.

"It's two weeks, it will fly by, and when we're at school next year, I'll make up for lost time," He said before leaning forward to kiss her again.

"I'm going to charge interest!" She warned with a smirk.

"I would expect nothing less from you," He smiled before taking her lips in his in a tender caress. Now that he had her alone, he had no intention of letting go.


	86. So, This Is Goodbye

The nerves once again danced in his stomach like ants as they both finally rose from the floor. The night had descended around the train, leaving a Tungsten coloured metropolis beyond the glass, as streetlights and lit windows lined the way into the centre of the city.

The old, dark brick buildings looked ominous as they peered down at them with glowing yellow eyes, watching their approach. Neville knew he imagined it, but even with the flashing neon Christmas lights decorating the fronts of buildings, the Christmas cheer didn't seem to reach through the overwhelming sense of dread.

"I should go, make sure I look presentable," she whispered as she fiddled with the bottom of his jumper.

"I think you look beautiful," he murmured before cupping her cheeks and kissing her again.

"Thoroughly shagged, you mean," she chuckled, but the sound rang hollow. She was rallying, trying to distance herself from the pain. He watched as she slowly began the process of putting her walls back up.

"You will never not be beautiful, especially when you look thoroughly shagged," He smiled gently to her, hoping to get a smile, "No matter what happens, I love you," he kissed her again.

"Tu es l'amour de ma vie" she whispered, so quietly that he almost didn't hear her over the rumble of the carriage as it creaked over the track points. "I need to go. We'll be at the station soon, and if I don't start preparing myself for this, I'll never be able to convince them." He nodded, making no move to release her. She raised her hands and pulled his palms gently from her face. "We'll need to get off the train at different doors otherwise they'll know."

He nodded again, just wanting to see her eyes, but she was pulling away and back into herself.

"Pansy?" He asked. Pale eyes flashed brown and grey in the moving artificial light from outside as she looked up at him. Tears threatened to spill from her lashes as she chewed on her lip. "I love you, I will write to you every day, hold on and I'll see you soon,"

Neville tried to produce a confident smile but knew it was weak. Swallowing, he could feel his own tears pricking his eyes. He didn't hesitate before pulling her into a vicious hug breathing in her scent like a drowning man desperately grabbing for something to cling onto.

She ran her hands around his neck and held him tightly as though the tighter they held on, the more they could show their love. Slowly they parted as excited voices from beyond the doors filtered through.

"So, this is goodbye," She said, her voice cracking as she looked up at him.

"Only for now," He replied. She nodded once before leaving the compartment alone.

He took a deep breath and rubbed at his face before pushing his fingers through his hair. It felt like his heart was breaking all over again. He cursed himself knowing that it was stupid, it was two weeks, it would fly by and then everything would go back to the way it had been.

'But what about after graduation?' his mind asked. He ignored the voice, unwilling to think about their future. He took a deep breath before leaving the carriage to head back to the others. He passed a compartment where Blaise, Theo and Pansy sat waiting for the train to stop. The men met his eye, and he nodded before walking passed. Pansy sat in an unfamiliar grey coat, her gaze remained pointedly looking out of the window. Her gentle face was now as cold and expressionless as stone as though she had set her jaw in concrete. He moved out of sight, not liking the now unfamiliar look on her face.

Once back in the carriage, the girls shared loaded glances as the train slowly pulled into the station.

"It's only for two weeks, Nev," Ginny offered kindly.

"She's right," Hermione added as she started to put her coat back on. "And if you spend your time wisely doing your homework, you'll bearly notice,"

"I know," Was all he said as he closed his eyes, putting an end to the conversation.

The world lurched forwards slightly as the train stopped. The conductor blew his whistle as the doors were unlocked, and smoke filled the platform.

"Come on, it's Christmas," Ginny smiled with false cheer as she stood over him, offering him her hand. Taking it, he pulled himself to his feet before shuffling after them as they filed off the train.

The air was cold on the platform, but it was a warmer, southern winter compared to the bitter Scottish cold—the chill bearly bit in as people tried to navigate their way through the smoke.

He couldn't help his eyes as they moved through the figures, seeking her out. He caught sight of glossy black hair and the grey coat he had seen her in earlier. He spotted her as she approached a shorter older woman, all dressed in black. She appeared to be too old to be Mrs Parkinson as well as being too plainly dressed. Unable to see Pansy's face, he had to rely on the expressions of the sourfaced witch opposite her. Neville watched as they shared a fractious exchange before the older witch slapped her. He could have sworn he heard the slap reverberate around the platform walls between them. Pansy stood rigid and proud without flinching. Her hand started to rise to her cheek to comfort herself, but she refrained and held her arms firmly at her side. The witch scolded her again, wagging her wand in Pansy's face before pointing it at her woollen dress. The hem dropped from mid-thigh to her ankles, hiding her legs and boots. She glared at her again for a moment, before turning and leading the way off through the crowd, Pansy following dutifully behind her.

Anger burned in his limbs as his fists trembled by his sides. Every nerve in his body wanted to chase after that witch and slap her back. But he held firm as the pulse thundered in his ears.

"Neville!" came a voice to his side. He turned, realising that Ginny had been talking to him. "Bill's here! " She repeated with a roll of her eyes before turning around again. The scene with Pansy and, he assumed, her governess either unseen or ignored by the others as they continued on. Blaise and Theo appeared through a cloud of smoke at his shoulder.

"That's Miss Kane," Theo said glumly as his eyes followed Neville's gaze. "She is an evil woman, I thought Pansy said that her family dismissed her," He looked confused and thoughtful before turning back to them. "Maybe I misheard," He shook his head before something caught his eyes. He nudged Neville and motioned for him to turn.

"Hey guys," Harry greeted as Ron followed up behind, and then to his surprise, Draco.

"You alright, guys?" Neville offered as he tried to loosen his fists. He noticed that Ron and Harry were in their Auror robes so didn't move to hug as the two Slytherins stepped forward and clasped Draco in a familial embrace.

"I thought you had moved abroad," Theo said with a grin as he stepped back.

"Obviously, does my tan not give it away," Draco offered snarkily as he pretended to admire his ghostly white skin.

"I wouldn't know, You don't call, you don't write, you didn't even visit me in hospital,"

"Do not talk about things you know nothing about," the blond dismissed airily. "I did, in fact, visit you before you regained consciousness,"

"No, you did not!" Blaise scoffed.

"I did. Potter? Tell them!" He ordered before turning to Harry. Harry chuckled and nodded as Ron rolled his eyes.

"He did." Harry coughed as he glanced at the blond "He politely requested access and refused to take no for an answer. So, I accompanied him." They all laughed as Draco crossed his arms defensively. "Now if you don't mind, can we discuss the real reason we're all here?" Harry continued before turning back to the rest of them, offering his hand to them. "I assume you received my owl and understand why we're doing this?"

Theo nodded, his hands trembling as he took Harry's. "I did indeed, I fully understand,"

"But why you?" Blaise asked curiously.

"Excuse me?" Ron asked, his impulsive nature coming to the fore.

"Pardon me, I meant no offence, Auror Weasley. I'm just curious as to why Potter is using that particular property as a safe house?" He said cautiously as he looked around suspiciously.

"Well, I thought that as he is a friend of my friends, I thought instead of remaining under house arrest, cooped up with some unknown auror for the next two weeks, he might actually want to see his friends over the break. This way there is some semblance of freedom,"

Blaise was silent for a moment before nodding. Draco rolled his eyes.

"Eurgh, I didn't come here to join the Potter fan club."

"Why are you here, Malfoy?" Ron asked pointedly "You never did say,"

"Please, you two!" Harry interrupted,

"Well, I really appreciate the effort and forethought, anyway" Theo nodded jerkily.

"We had better get going," Ron muttered, "We don't want to be out in the open for too long."

Neville looked around as Ron's eyes moved across the space, most of the smoke having cleared by now. Harry nodded as he too took a subtle look around.

"Let's grab your things and get going," Harry agreed. "See you in a few days, Nev,"

"Well, I will see you in two weeks," Blaise announced cheerfully before pulling Theo in for a hug, "Look after yourself and write me!" He said firmly. Theo nodded before they parted. Blaise moved closer to Neville as they watched the four of them disappear.

"So, Draco and Harry, on the same platform, leaving together…" Blaise smirked. Neville nodded.

"It's an improvement… I think." Blaise snorted at this before shaking his head.

"So I shall see you for the Parkinson's masque on Monday! Matteo," He raised an eyebrow daring him to argue.

Neville rolled his eyes and shook his head. "You're not going to take no for an answer, are you?"

"You mark my words, Young Longbottom. By this time tomorrow, you are going to be climbing the walls, and by Monday you will be begging, nay pleading with me to take you." He shrugged smugly "Just admit it, I know you better than you know yourself,"

"Whatever you say," Neville snorted. He didn't want to admit it, but he didn't think he would last until tomorrow before wanting to beg, but he kept that to himself.

"Well, until then, take care of yourself," He said, offering his hand. Neville smiled and took it, surprised when Blaise pulled him in for a hug too. "Write to me if you need anything, I'll be at the Méduse hotel, just off of Carkitt market, until Wednesday,"

"Well I'll be at home with Gran all the way through except Boxing day, so feel free to come and visit, the floo journey isn't too bad." He smiled.

"You know what, Longbottom?" He smiled and clapped him on the shoulder, "I may just take you up on that offer, Now I'm going to *scappa before your gran curses me," He said nodding to the approaching figure.

Neville turned to see his gran slowly making her way towards them. He smiled and waved to Blaise before turning to his gran again.

As usual, she wore the awful stuffed vulture hat on top of tightly pinned hair. Walking with a stoop, as she always did these days, as though carrying that hideous red handbag had finally weighed her down through the years.

"Hi Gran," He offered, leaning to kiss her cheek.

"You alright, pet?" She asked, offering her cheek to him.

"I'm alright, You didn't have to come meet me, I could have made it home alone,"

"Don't be silly! Come on, grab your things, I've left the dinner on."

Neville nodded as he turned to get his luggage. The smoke-filled the almost empty platform as he found his trunk with some of the others. He tapped it once with his wand, shrinking it to briefcase size, before turning to find his gran again.

His eyes wandered back to where Pansy had been slapped, and he swore that one day he would get his own back.

Augusta stood waiting for him, taking his arm once they were close enough.

"How is everything, Gran?" He asked, moving the case to his left arm and slowing down his stride to accommodate her pace.

"We're alright. How was school? How are your grades? And that Parkinson girl, Are you two still… friends?" She asked.

Neville smiled and nodded.

School's been alright, besides the things I told you about in my letters. My grades are really good, Hermione has been helping me with my Runes and Transfiguration. Another friend has been helping me with my charms work, and yes, Pansy. She's helped me so much with my potions. So much so, Slughorn thinks I may even be able to achieve an outstanding if I really try. I couldn't have done it without her," He said the last quietly as a lump developed in his throat. His gran looked up at him, her wizened face studying him behind her tortoiseshell glasses. She smiled and patted his arm kindly.

"Come on, let's get home and I'll make us a nice cup of tea. Hopefully, that damn plant of yours will stop crooning once it sees you're back!"

"Sounds great," He smiled as they headed for the apparition point.

(*Scappa – means to "Run away" or "Escape" in Italian.)


	87. On An Owl's Wings

The temperature dropped once again as the world whipped into focus, the cold, Yorkshire gale biting his face as they disapparated together. He looked down at the tiny, frail woman to his right and remembered when she had been the one to apparate them to and from the station. She had been so strong and imposing all those years ago, now she just looked tired. He turned back to the small cottage and felt a strange mix of relief and apprehension. As though something was waiting for them inside. The lit windows and the flickering fire beyond the rippled panes made him feel like someone was there already.

He could remember long hot summers out on the front lawn, paddling in the stream and catching fish. Hiding in the long grass after getting in trouble and hoping his gran wouldn't find him. Then as the years passed, he remembered tidying the borders and trimming back the trees. He could make out the sleeping vines of the Wisteria hanging over the door. It was a beautiful cottage. He had worked hard over the summer to make sure of it – to banish any suspicion that it had ever been anything other than theirs during the war.

The wind whipped up his scarf, slapping him in the face, as though urging him inside. Even over the gale, he could hear the large wheel of the mill rolling through the stream, it's paddles hitting the water rhythmically as it turned. He had forgotten how much he loved the sound of it, especially from inside the house. His gran started to move forward, and he held her arm carefully as they moved together. The last thing he wanted was for her to slip and break a hip, even with magic, that took time and skill to heal. His mind wandered back to his aunt Ursuline.

"How is Aunt Ursy?" he asked as she pushed the door open and stepped inside. Now safely on the welcome rug, he released her before following her in.

"Ah, you know that old bag! Always happiest when she has something to moan about!" She smirked as she rolled her eyes. He took a final look out into the cold night air, noting there was just enough snow to cover the countryside. He knew they would get more in the days to come, they always did. "Neville, close the door, you'll let all the hot air out." His gran chided as he pushed the door closed firmly, remembering it stuck slightly. That would need seeing to while he was home.

He put his trunk down and helped her out of her coat before she disappeared into the kitchen at the end of the hall. He removed his own and hung them both on the heavy coat rack that stood next to the dining room door. Kicking off his boots, he moved them to the side, out of the way, ensuring no one could trip over them.

The smell of beef filled the air making his mouth water. He hadn't realised just how hungry he was. The fire crackled in the small living room, and it brought back a flood of memories. He stood and closed his eyes for a moment as he heard the knocking and creaking of the waterwheel beyond the brick wall. If he really tried, he could pretend he was ten again, waiting for Father Christmas to come, reading his Beedle the bard book over and over again from behind the settee.

"Neville," His gran called from the kitchen bringing him back to the present. He took another deep breath before leaving the entrance of the room and heading towards the kitchen.

The large black stove radiated heat in the cosy kitchen as he ducked his head under the door frame. It was something he would need to remember again before giving himself a concussion.

His gran carried the large green teapot in her hands before lowering it to the table. "Come on, I've made tea, and there's Oxtail stew for dinner." She said as she placed a bowl in front of him. Steam rose from the roughly mashed potatoes and stew as he took a deep breath in. It didn't matter how good the elves were at school, they would never be able to make it the way his gran did.

"Looks great, thanks Gran," He said as she poured the cup of tea.

"So, tell me everything you didn't put in your letters," She said before sinking into the armchair the other side of the table, her hands wrapped around her own mug as she watched him with interest. Her owl, Tyto, who was plucking at her feathers as she sat on her perch, suddenly looked up at him too. He paused, the spoon halfway to his mouth as his mind raced. Everything that wasn't in his letters? Did she just mean all the little bits that he had missed or the gaping holes in the stories he had told her, leaving out the details of his bullying so that she wouldn't worry? He hoped for the former before pushing the spoon back into his bowl.

"Erm, Slughorn said I'm doing really well in potions, Hermione's been helping me with homework. I've been getting some help from some other friends too," He started before pushing the spoon into his mouth, giving himself time to think. Taking a furtive glance at her, unsure whether she was just curious or whether she knew something more...

"You've told me that already, Pet," She said carefully. She had a particular tone in her voice when she knew something and her ageing voice held it now. He spotted a newspaper on the side and recognised the familiar font of the Prophet and knew that it was all over. Of course, she knew everything!

"What would you like to know?" He asked sullenly as he dropped his spoon in the bowl, his appetite having skipped out of the room. She pulled out her wand and flicked it at the newspaper. The broadsheet hung in the air showing him the front page.

"LURID LIES TO LAMBASTE LONGBOTTOM"

He was familiar with the headline, having scrutinized it many times since Draco had printed it the Monday previous, earning him a few curious and sympathetic looks from the student body. He hated being something to pity, but what else could he do?

"What would you like to admit to?" she asked carefully, "What did the Saga make up and how much of what the Malfoy boy printed is genuine?" holding her tea in her lap as she waited.

"Everything the Saga printed was false," he whispered, "I did go out with Hannah a couple of times, but she broke up with me when I refused to give up my friends."

"Alright," She said as she waited for him to continue. He looked at her and didn't know what else to say. So much had happened in such a short space of time. "What else?"

"After the Saga reported that I…" He couldn't even bring himself to say it. He swallowed down the panic as he tried to order his thoughts. "I wanted to set the record straight, I didn't want you or… Uncle Algie or the rest of them to think… I didn't do it. I wouldn't!"

"I see," She said quietly. The silence spanned between them, only the whirring of the mill audible in the quiet room.

"I'm sorry," he muttered, the crushing shame he had been fighting, crashing down on him.

His gran stood up with a groan, drawing his attention. She placed her cup down on the edge of the table, her hands shaking as she walked.

She approached him, a strange look on her face. A pained confusion, as though something warred inside of her. He wasn't sure he had ever seen the look before. When she was close enough, she pulled him to her tightly.

"Don't you ever be sorry unless you have something to be sorry about!" She growled fiercely as she held him as tightly as her old bones could. He squeezed her too, unsure when the last time she had hugged him was.

"You sound like Pansy," He snorted as she patted his hair.

"Sounds like that girl has a brain in her head," She said definitively as she stroked his hair with her other hand. "So was everything that the Malfoy boy reported, true?" Her voice sounded thinner and weaker this close. He tried to nod in her arms.

"I think the only thing he missed out was my hair being dyed, but that was to protect Pansy."

"I did wonder whether she had more involvement than was reported." He tried to nod again before she pulled away.

"So, Aurors were called in?" She asked as she sat on the chair next to him, watching his face intently.

"Yes, I met Auror Fernsby, who was doing the investigation into the allegations. He said he knew Mum,"

"Fernsby? I remember him. He did know your mother, she trained him. He was a good kid. He better not have given you any trouble?" She asked sternly.

"No, he was very good, We used a pensieve, and I walked him through everything. Once he saw what happened and how they acted, he knew that the charges were trumped up."

"Wicked swine, the lot of them!" She swore as she started to get up. Neville noticed and grabbed her mug from the far end and handed it to her. She smiled and patted his hand as she lowered herself down again.

Her eyes seemed to have tears in them as she looked down at her cup quietly.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you in my letters. I didn't want to worry you with everything that was happening. I had it all under control, and it was sorted, but then the Saga raked everything up again,"

"That rag has a lot to answer for. Did you know that they reported that Cornelius Fudge and his wife extorted money while he was Minister? They're being investigated. Then you have The Diggory's. Those poor people." She touched her heart and shook her head as she looked at Neville. "The rag claimed that their poor boy, Cedric, was a supporter of Voldemort! Utter Poppycock! Now, if I were the suspicious type, I would say that they're trying to cause trouble for the Aurors. Overworking them with all these ridiculous claims and outlandish codswallop," she huffed with indignation. "All so that they can get away with something nefarious,"

Neville nodded again as he tried the stew. He didn't think that anyone could stoop so low. However, he would not put anything passed Rita Skeeter and the Saga.

"Now come on, eat your food, you look in need of a good meal! I really will need to write to Minerva and tell her," She said, pushing the hair back from his forehead in an affectionate gesture. "And you can tell me everything else, starting from the beginning this time." He nodded as he tried to regain his appetite. "just tell me one thing," she said, holding a finger up to him.

"What's that?" he asked cautiously.

"That Abbott girl is in no danger of finding herself in trouble, is she?"

"Trouble?" Neville asked he felt like his gran meant more than landing herself in Azkaban.

"You know, in trouble? In the pudding club? In the family way? Up the duff? Knocked up or whatever you kids call it these days?" she rattled off, getting more flustered with each passing phrase.

"Pregnant?" He asked, surprised. He shook his head, adamantly. Panicked at the mere thought of it, and equally relieved that it could never be an issue for him with her. "No, no, no! There is no chance whatsoever. We only ever held hands and kissed!" He snorted as he moved the food around in the bowl, his appetite surprisingly still absent.

"And… this Parkinson girl? Pansy?" She asked carefully as she peered at his face.

"Nor Pansy, we've never…No," He couldn't bring himself to follow through with the sentence as a furious blush scorched his face.

"Well, that's something at least. The Parkinson girl I could abide, but if that Abbott cow ever claimed otherwise. Well, I wanted to hear it from you first, know the truth of the matter!"

"No Gran, no concerns there at all." He said, wishing his blush would dissipate.

"Good, Now eat your food and tell me everything," She insisted again before taking another sip of tea.

Both hands met at the top of the grandfather clock as he trudged up the stairs to bed. He felt like he had gone thirty rounds with a Venomous Tentacular. He moved over the creaky floorboards and opened his bedroom door. Standing there for a moment, he just took in the sight of his room.

A smile came to his face as he pushed in and closed the door behind him, leaning against the wood as he sunk down to the floor, joining his trunk. Now, he was home. This room had been his safe haven for years, and slowly he had turned it into a small corner of paradise. The air smelt fresh and cool as the plants covered every free space on both the floor and the surfaces. Even the fireplace, which was rarely used, was covered in pots of cuttings and saplings from his summer harvest. The room was alive.

He heard a noise and smiled before standing up. There, in the corner of the room by his reading chair was his Mimbulus Mimbletonia. He stroked the smooth flesh between the boils and smiled when it started to croon at him. His nan was right, though, it was huge. He could fit his whole palm against the flesh without touching any of the sap sacks. He would have to move it down into the greenhouse tomorrow just in case he caught it by accident, he didn't want to end up covered in stink sap again.

He collapsed onto the chair of his desk, determined to write a letter to Pansy before he finally gave in to sleep. Accio-ing his trunk, he pulled out his things and started writing with his new quill, the dragon glass warming in his fingers.

He watched as his handwriting smoothed out, becoming this beautifully elegant font as he told her how much he missed her, and how he would dream of her eyes. The words spilt out of him in much the same way they had downstairs, and he wondered momentarily whether his gran had put Veritaserum in his stew.

He sighed, his gran knew almost everything about what had happened this year at school, The only things he had kept to himself were the secrets he and Pansy had enjoyed. He closed his eyes as he slid the warm glass against his bottom lip as he tried to imagine her lips against his.

With nothing more to write, he signed off as Gomez as he promised he would. He wondered whether his gran would mind if he borrowed Tyto. Sealing the letter, he stood up again and headed towards the door. Pulling it open, he was shocked to find his gran standing there with a cup of steaming tea and a smile on her face.

"Give me that, and get to bed already! We've got lots to do in the morning." She said, handing over the mug and plucking the letter from his surprised hand. She smirked at him as she wandered back down the corridor. He narrowed his eyes with a smile. Since bumping into her in Diagon alley, she seemed to have loosened up with him. He wondered what had sparked the change, whether it was a change in him or whether it was Pansy's intervention that had made her see him in a new light.

He closed the door again and sipped on the tea. Whatever the reason for her change in attitude, he could get used to this new gran. Sinking into his bed, he took a deep breath of the cool and fresh air and lay down, not even bothering to get changed. He was asleep seconds after his head hit the pillow, his mind flying through the air on an owl's wings


	88. The Surprise Green Jumper

He groaned as he slid his length inside her, her skin wet and soapy and her entrance ready for him. He cried out as her tightness clung to him, squeezing him with delicious tension as she enveloped him up to the hilt. She whimpered, her insides tensing, pushing him closer to ecstasy as she started to roll her hips, moving up and down. Coating his erection in her pleasure, her hands pulled at his hair. Holding her waist firmly, she couldn't escape as he started to move with her, pushing into her, revelling in the soft moans that escaped her.

He claimed her parted lips, desperate to devour every drop of her pleasure as she cried out against him. Biting her mouth, he found his confidence as he slid almost all the way out and then thrust inside again. She was so hot and ready for him. Listening to her groans, she was lost in the desperate need of what he was doing.

Her body shuddered against him, her delicate flesh rippling with each thrust. Stoking the incessant yearning in him as his balls tightened, she seemed to get tighter with each thrust and contraction. He clawed her hair, holding her head back to bare her throat to him. She started to pant and scream as he thrust harder, holding her immobile as he rutted into her again and again until the wave crashed over them. He cried out as the release took hold of him, his body shuddering and jerking as he came.

Stars filled his vision as the pleasure waned and along with it, the dream. He groaned as he rubbed at his face. Not again! Sleep rolled away from him like a retreating tide as the cooling wetness lay uncomfortable in his boxers. Panting heavily, he looked around as the light glittered in through the windows. It took him a moment to align the pieces of memory and reassemble them so that the world made sense again.

He was at home, in his own room and bed, his own clothes and of course, his own mess. He let his head fall back into the pillow in disappointment and frustration as his softening cock fell back to sleep. He was eighteen for Merlin's sake, eighteen! He shouldn't still be having wet dreams, surely? He lay and stared at the ceiling for a moment, his eyes following the familiar cracks and grains in the beams as his mind raced, busy retracing Pansy's soft curves and folds from the dream.

It was a cruel twist of fate. When he had fantasised about her before their relationship had begun, it had felt good but hollow. Now that he had experienced her talented hands and lips, this seemed to turn the knife in his heart. It had felt so unbelievably real or at least, what he imagined it to feel like.

Back in the prefect's bathroom, he had been so desperately close to pressing on and taking her. Filling her until there was room for nothing else, in her body and mind. It scared him sometimes just how much he wanted her. It burned white in his heart when he thought of her, like a searing pain refusing to heal.

With a frustrated huff, he rolled over and closed his eyes, gripping his pillow to his chest. He thought that maybe, he could shield himself or hide from the emotions that coursed through his veins. He felt like an addict needing his fix. Snorting, he remembered Blaise's prediction, it hadn't taken two full days before he was begging to see her. How little the man knew him.

Hugging the pillow tighter, he hoped to find the merest scent of her but knew his attempts were in vain. She had never been in this room before, never touched his things or lay in his bed, so her smell was painfully absent. He reached for his wand and tapped on his crotch, feeling the spell clean away the evidence of his embarrassment.

He reasoned that had they both still been at school, they would have been apart no longer than an ordinary day. However, he knew that it was because she wasn't going to wander into his room or slide in next to him at the breakfast table that made it seem like forever.

He wondered what she was doing right now, and how her first night back had been? An image of the slap her governess gave her didn't bode well for a happy homecoming. He hoped that her parents at least would be kinder. The thought niggled at him, needling him into action as he stood up and moved to his desk. He knew that he had only sent a letter last night, but he felt she needed the fuel to keep her going.

He didn't even wait to change before grabbing his parchment and quill. The glass already calmed him, making him feel closer to her as his now delicate and elegant strokes covered the page with encouragement and support. He told her he dreamt of her, leaving out the other details, and that he longed to see her. He was just signing off when the scent of bacon wafted into his room.

His stomach groaned with longing, remembering the half-eaten stew from the night before. He carefully folded the letter before turning to his trunk, which sat on the floor where he had left it. He tapped the leather and watched as it grew to its original size. Unclicking the clasps, he threw the lid open, surveying his clothes for something to wear. Something green caught his eye. Under one of his carefully folded shirts was a jumper. He pulled it out cautiously and looked at it, feeling an overwhelming sense of joy and relief wash over him.

Pansy's off-the-shoulder jumper hung from his hands, its scent of violets and black cherries filling the air like a long-forgotten summer in the depths of a decade-long winter. His heart flipped as he brought the cloth to his nose, inhaling the sweet scent deeply. He closed his eyes, imagining that he was holding her, feeling her warmth mingle with his own. He wondered when she had managed to sneak it in there, but he smiled feeling closer to her than he had done in hours.

He placed the jumper onto his pillow and made his bed, determined that he would sleep more soundly with it close by. He dressed and grabbed the letter, and with a final backwards glance at the jumper, left the room.

After using the bathroom, he paused at the top of the creaky landing and looked down. Voices travelled up the stairs from the floor below. He smiled as he recognised the deep timbre of one of the speakers. Pressing on, letter in hand, he took the stairs two at a time.

"Neville! The house isn't a stomping ground!" His gran called crossly "He's still like a baby erumpent," She muttered loudly as he pushed in. The sound of the sizzling bacon and eggs filled the air, complimenting the aroma deliciously.

"Morning," He announced as his eyes moved to the group at the table. They all turned and offered him a smile.

"Neville, How are you, lad?" His uncle asked as he stood up and offered him his hand.

Neville smiled and shook it before they hugged briefly.

"I'm alright, how are you all?" He asked before leaning over his aunt and placing a kiss against her cheek. He moved around the table and kissed his gran before heading over to Tyto, who glared at him, grumpily with her black eyes.

"We're fine lad, Just been catching up with your gran,"

"We wondered how long it would be before you came down, I forgot how much noise travels in this old house now that you're home!" his gran complained, with a smirk as she held her mug of tea.

"Sorry," He muttered, feeling the blush rush up his neck. He wondered what they'd heard. He vowed to cast a silencing charm as soon as he could disappear back to his room without suspicion.

"Is that another letter?" She asked again, eyeing the envelope in his hands "You'll come across as too eager, pet," She warned before sipping on her tea.

"What's this? Letters to a girl?" His Aunt Enid commented with a grin. His blush intensified as he tried to ignore them, opening the top half of the dutch door. The owl squawked grumpily before disappearing off into the bright winter air. It had snowed overnight, as predicted and now a couple of inches of snow coated the countryside surrounding their cottage.

"Come on, lad! Tell us all about this girl," His Uncle Algie asked as he turned back to the table to find them all watching him.

"You know that owl has only just come back, don't you?" His gran asked carefully, ignoring his uncle as she watched his face. He shot her an apologetic smile before shutting the door again and heading back towards the table.

"Sit down, I'll make you a bacon sandwich," She said as she started pushing up out of her chair.

"I'll do it, it's alright," He said, placing a palm on her shoulder.

"Come on, is this girl a big secret or something?" Algie asked. "Or is it a boy? Nothing to be ashamed of,"

"Not ashamed of her or… him, are you?" Enid offered "Muggle-borns aren't something to be ashamed of any more…"

"Enid!" His gran chided "Neville knows that!"

"What? I meant nothing by it," She exclaimed.

"Shush, you two! I want to hear about this girl that our Neville has ensnared," His uncle said again. Neville cringed as he made himself the sandwich, wishing his uncle would let the topic go but knew he wouldn't. He could be quite tenacious when he wanted to be. Neville took a deep breath and turned back to the table, sliding into the empty seat while avoiding anyone's gaze. "Well?" He asked again.

"There's not much to tell," Neville said, avoiding his uncle's scrutiny and taking a bite of his sandwich.

"Shouldn't take you long to tell us then," Algie laughed. His long pale hair teasing its way out of the ponytail and the nape of his neck.

"What's her name?" Enid asked,

"Rose," Neville offered quickly. He loved his family, but he didn't want anything getting out and back to the Parkinsons. Even though they didn't move in the same circles, it would be just his luck that they found out.

"Rose? That's a lovely name," Enid nodded,

"Forget the name, what is she like?" Algie urged. "What does she look like? Where did you meet her? Is she a friend from school?"

"Algie, stop badgering him!" Augusta picked up the teapot and poured Neville a cup of tea. He smiled appreciatively and took it.

"It's ok, She's in a few of my classes at school," He offered

"She's a very independent young woman, a little too opinionated for my tastes" His gran added.

"What? You've met her?" They turned their attention to Augusta, who kept her face firmly on her teacup. Neville swallowed, waiting to hear exactly what his gran thought of Pansy.

"I did indeed, I caught them skiving off a few weeks ago. Bumped into them in Diagon alley."

Neville cringed at the indignation of his family at the suggestion of him skipping school.

"Oh, Lad!" His uncle exclaimed with disappointment.

"Oh no, Augusta! What did you do?"

"Well, you know me, I attacked the problem head-on, No grandson of mine is going to skip classes."

"What happened?" Enid asked.

Neville opened his mouth to speak when his gran patted his hand.

"I was reminded that I can be wrong sometimes and that I should remember that he is a grown man who deserves respect," His gran smirked and turned to him "that was what she said wasn't it?"

Neville coughed as he tried to smother a laugh.

"Who said that, Gussie?" Enid asked in shock.

"Neville's very good friend," He smiled.

"What a rude little upstart," Enid announced before sipping her tea.

"Not true, Enid! Not true at all. She was perfectly in the right, and after some consideration, I agree with her sentiment, She certainly opened my eyes. He is indeed a grown man who should be treated as thus, So he's going to be trusted to put up all the Christmas decorations this afternoon," She chuckled as Neville deflated.

"That's what you get for talking back, lad," His uncle concluded even though he hadn't said a word. Neville nodded and rolled his eyes, struggling to hide the smile. His gran did like her after all. It was almost worth having to put up all the decorations up himself to know that.

"I'm not sure I like the idea of Neville's friend backchatting you, Gussie,"

"She was standing up for her… friend. I can see that now, and I like her the more for it. It shows character. And you both know whether I stand with people with character."

The couple nodded before sharing a smirk. Neville continued to eat his bacon sandwich, hoping that that was the end of his interrogation for the day. Maybe if he disappeared straight into the greenhouse, they'd leave him alone.


	89. Uncle Algie

He shivered in the cool air of the greenhouse as the snow clung to the panes on the roof. It wasn't as cold as it was on the other side of the glass, but it was still cooler than some of these plants preferred. He cast a warming charm before sitting in his armchair. It was something he had transfigured out of one of the Saga papers when he discovered it on their doorstep. After a cursory glance at the gossip on the front page, he turned it into the seat.

He sat back and breathed in the life that surrounded him as he watched the glittering snow melt on the frosted windows. His mind was a million miles away as he relaxed in the greenhouse. As far as he was aware, his aunt and uncle were still talking away to his gran in the kitchen about Christmas plans and other members of the family. Attempting to clear his mind of everything he watched as some of the snow slowly slid down one of the glass panels.

He stood with a rush when he heard a knock on the glass and looked up to see his uncle struggling with the door handle, two steaming cups of tea and the morning's post balanced in his other hand. Neville rushed to let him in before closing the door behind him.

"Bloody Nora, it's parky," A plume of steam erupted as he spoke, shivering from the temperature. "Your gran sent a brew out for you, you've also got some post,"

Neville almost snatched the post out of his uncle's hand before realising what he was doing.

"Sorry," He muttered as he forced himself to be slower reaching for the letters. His uncle laughed before lowering himself into the armchair.

"This armchair hasn't always been here, has it? I like it." His uncle muttered looking at it as he shimmied into it. "So, this girl… She must be something special to have caught your eye, I remember when the only thing to turn your head was a new nub on your Mimbletonia,"

Neville smiled without saying more as he riffled through the pile. One was from Harry, one from Hermione and the third from Theo. He threw them down with disappointment before gulping on his tea, regretting it instantly as the hot liquid scorched his insides.

"I take it there's no letter from her?" Neville shook his head before leaning on the workbench with a huff. "It's only been a day. No point getting mardy, she may not've had the chance to write yet,"

Neville nodded but felt like something was wrong. He wasn't sure he would be able to last the two weeks without hearing anything from her.

"So, who is this girl really? I don't believe a word of what was said in there, and no I won't tell your aunt,"

"Her family can't know," Neville shook his head.

"So, she's a pureblood then?" Neville nodded, "Well, that's alright, so are you,"

"It's not the same," He whined. He mentally slapped himself. He didn't whine!

"So one of the snobby ones then, eh?" he pondered out loud before sipping his tea, his pale gaze distant. "The only other houses I can think of that would look down on the Longbottoms are the dark houses." He paused and fixed his concerned gaze on him. "She's not an Avery or Carrow is she?"

Neville shook his head as he fingered the stem of a nearby sage bush, trying to centre himself with the smell from the leaves.

"Can't be a Malfoy or a Black, The Blacks are gone, as are the Lestranges, thank Merlin,"

Neville avoided his eyes as he peered into his tea. "You know, this would be a lot less painful if you just told me," He chuckled. "I never was good at the twenty questions game."

"She's a Parkinson," Neville muttered. Algie whistled in surprise.

"A Parkinson? Well… yes… that explains a lot, and I can see why you would want to keep that information to yourself! Hardly a popular choice amongst most folk,"

"I know. But she could get into so much trouble even being seen with me, "

"Well, your aunt won't hear it from me. She means well, but her mouth is foot-shaped. I won't tell a soul." He promised. "But, I must know, how did you two even get to talking? How did that conversation come about?"

"She started it," Neville snorted "I hit a rough patch at school, and she was there for me. She's different from you might think. She's incredible," His voice failed him.

"She must be to turn your head. If she's ok by you, then she's alright with me. And anyway, anyone looking out for you has a hard enough time without me making things harder." He snorted and grinned at Neville. Neville smirked back.

"Isn't that the truth?" He replied with a shake of his head. "I'm just worried that her family have found out about us. They threatened to disown her if she carried on socialising with me,"

"Tricky business. But you're being careful, aren't you?"

"Of course, we're very careful, we try not to be seen together outside of school," He nodded.

"That's not quite what I meant, Lad!" His uncle laughed, his meaning dawning on Neville, and he shook his head.

"No, I mean, yes! We've not done that!" He cried dismissively. What was everyone's obsession with sex?

"Just checking, We don't want … you know what I mean?" His uncle smirked before sipping his tea again. "I'm sure that wouldn't endear you to the inlaws any further," He chuckled again.

"No surprises, I promise!" Neville assured, the blush filling his cheeks. His mind wandered to their time in the prefect's bathroom, and he wondered. What would he do if they had and she was pregnant? What would her parents do? He shuddered at the thought.

"Good, We don't need surprises like that for a little while yet,"

They fell back into silence, his eyes drifting to the letters from his friends. He tried to be positive, at least he was getting post from friends these days, the first year had been difficult. Making friends had been hard, and he was sure he was mostly just tolerated more than liked. Then again last year, the letters just weren't written as the post was screened by death eaters. He sighed, reaching for the post.

"So who's writing to you these days?" Algie asked, leaning forward to check the leaves on a large Alocasia as he spoke.

"Harry, Hermione and Theo,"

"Theo? That's not a name I've heard from you before," He said slowly standing and stretching.

"No, we only became friends this year, thanks to Pansy," he cursed inwardly at the slip with her name.

"Pansy? So that's her real name? Pretty." His uncle smirked, "Trust you to go after one named after a flower! Heartsease… very apt" he said thoughtfully recalling the meaning behind the flower.

Neville smiled in response.

"That's better, so, Who is Theo?" He asked, leaning against the workbench next to him.

"Theo Nott," He looked at his uncle waiting for him to say something and he could see the cogs turning behind his surprised eyes.

"So, A Parkinson and a Nott, any other… Pureblood families?" He asked, attempting to be tactful.

"Zabini?" Neville offered.

"Ah, yes Zabini," He said with a smile, "I remember meeting, Isadora Zabini once… Have you ever met her?"

Neville shook his head, he had heard stories of her beauty and the death of many of her husbands, enough to know that he wasn't in a rush to meet her.

"Lad. If that woman doesn't have Veela blood in her veins somewhere, I'm a Flutterbloom bush!" He shook his head with disbelief. "She was certainly something back in the day, drove us all crazy at the dig in Nineveh when she was still a touring singer." He sighed again, "Legs that went for days, skin the colour of carob and eyes so dark and deep they could drown your soul…" He paused and cleared his throat as he remembered where he was and who he was with. "So, yes, You say you know her…?"

"Her son, Blaise Zabini," Algie nodded in understanding.

"Can't have had it easy growing up, I heard she married a few times, moving all over Europe. Even did a stint in America,"

Neville shrugged, He didn't know much about Blaise's past, It was never something that got discussed.

"So, Nott, Parkinson and Zabini… That's an interesting bunch,"

Neville knew what he was getting at and nodded, "They're not like their parents, at least Pansy and Theo aren't. They're friends with Hermione, Luna and Ginny too. They don't care about blood purity."

"Well, that's good to know," His uncle said with a smile.

The conversation drifted to plants and herbology for a while, as they discussed the struggling plants that had been neglected during Neville's absence. They talked about Algie's work in Magiarchaeobotany and his up-and-coming trip back to the middle east. It had been his life-long ambition to find the lost gardens of Babylon. It was one of the things that made Neville think about taking a research position in some far-off location.

"So what do you think you'll do after Hogwarts? You'll need to start applying to places soon if you want to beat the rush of students, you've got two year-groups joining the job market this year." Neville nodded.

"I don't know," He replied honestly with a shrug, "I feel like everything is up in the air, My grades should be good as long as I handle the exams alright, but I don't know. I'm fretting after only a day. If I took a position somewhere far away…" He let the words die on his tongue.

"I understand, Lad. It's difficult but, and don't get mardy at me saying this." He warned, and Neville nodded. "If things should go badly with you and this Parkinson girl, you need to get your life set up, you can't plan it around her, especially if there's a chance she won't be sticking around."

Neville wanted to be angry at the suggestion that they wouldn't work but knew that it was good, practical advice.

"There are some great apprenticeships at the Alchemical University in Prague, or even on the dig with me in Assyria if you want to travel further afield. There would be a few herbology assistants posts in Glastonbury too if you wanted to stay at home. But you need to start putting your name out there before you get looked over." He added with a soft smile and a pat on the back. The whole thought of making such a big decision made him feel sick with nerves. "Get your name out to as many places as you can, and it should give you options when you're in a better position to make your choices."

Again Neville nodded wordlessly. He knew his uncle was right, he usually was, but he felt to stubborn to agree.

"I'll leave you to read your letters, I'd better go and check on the girls, they cause nothing but mischief when they're left alone." He winked and smiled. "If you need anything, I'm only an owl away." And with that he was gone, A cold gust of air the only lingering evidence that he had been there.

He moved back to the armchair where he sank in with his letters. He quite liked the addition of the chair too. Maybe he would keep it or at least get a better one. He turned his attention to the envelopes, starting with Hermione's.

She spoke about all the ordinary things, life at the burrow, being in close quarters with Ron again. He wondered how they were getting on, especially as Ron really missed her, it was obvious to everyone but Ron. Luckily with him working, they were able to keep their distance. Hermione updated him on everyone else too, Ginny and Luna had rowed about something but had made up already. Molly was subdued, and Arthur was making sure no one upset her. Bill and Fleur had arrived, and the extra people were already causing a bit of tension, especially between the women of the house. Charlie was due back tomorrow which everyone seemed to be excited about.

Neville opened Harry's letter, which was shorter than Hermione's. He talked about work and Ron and about how the case was progressing, nothing of any great detail or importance, but just enough to let him know that it was still active. Apparently, Theo was a first-rate house guest and was even helping Kreature with the chores, much to the house-elf's disgust. Apparently, the elf thought it abhorrent that any pureblood, black or otherwise should spend their time doing more frivolous things that dusting and tidying. He smiled at the image of Kreacher watching, agog at Theo cleaning. He smirked as he opened Theo's letter. The grin almost hurt his cheeks as he started to laugh,

On the parchment, there were only six words in capitals. "HARRY'S FOOD! HE REALLY CAN COOK!?

Neville turned over the page to find a little ps at the end. Theo went on to say how he thought that Draco could be jealous as he was around with them all night yesterday, for no apparent reason. He also added about how much he was looking forward to Christmas day at the Burrow.

Neville smiled, at least someone was having a good time. Shivering again, he stood up. After waving his wand around, casting another heating charm he left, carrying his empty mug and letters with him.


	90. Dementors

He screamed out into the night, the dementors still pulling at his feet. He fought to free himself as the cold air pressed in against him, but it was no use, their grip tightened like devil's snare around his legs. Struggling away from the threat, the ground disappeared, sending him sprawling onto the floor.

Meeting the ground seemed to shock him out of his hysterics as he focused first on his breathing, tears streaming down his face as his heart rate slowed. Finally, he focused on the bed covers and pulled them easily off before climbing back into bed.

Feeling vindicated for casting his silencing charm when he returned to his room the night before, he took stock as he threw himself back onto his damp pillows. He rubbed his moist face, removing the last vestiges of sleep before looking through the window.

Darkness still claimed the world and would do so for a while if his instincts could be relied upon. He needed light and air to rid him of the lingering terror that clung to his skin.

He swung his legs out and pressed his feet to the cold wooden floor. There was something reassuring about the solid feeling of the ground beneath his feet despite the cold. He stood and reached for his dressing gown which draped over the nearest armchair. This was the downside of being in a room alone. His body heat alone wasn't enough to remove the chill from the air as it did at Hogwarts with him, Terry and Roger sharing the space.

He grabbed his quill, parchment and inkwell before leaving the room. In need of a hot cup of tea, he left his room and moved soundlessly through the house towards the kitchen. He was halfway across the creaky floorboards outside his gran's room when he remembered.

"Neville?" She called. He cursed his carelessness.

"Yes, Gran," he sighed

"What's happened?" She sounded worried, and he cursed under his breath again.

"Nothing, go back to sleep," He knew it was no good. He heard her move around before her door opened wide enough for her face to appear through.

"What's happened? It's four o'clock," She whispered. Suddenly feeling every second of his life, he sighed. She looked at him, her eyes seeming to take in every line and crease in his face.

"Just a bad dream. Nothing to worry about. Go back to bed,"

"Stop telling me what to do," She snapped "I'll be down in a minute, put the kettle on."

He nodded reluctantly, wanting desperately, to be alone with his thoughts as he approached the stairs. He plodded down the steps, his bones feeling twice the weight. Moving into the kitchen, he put down his things before lighting the candles and the stove. After filling the kettle and placing it onto the hob, he landed heavily into one of the chairs with a yawn.

Rubbing the sleep from his eyes, the images from the dreams swirled around behind his eyelids. He shuddered, feeling the cold around him, leeching his heat. He'd left his wand upstairs on his bedside table, so there was no option for a heating charm.

The images of Pansy drowning in black tar behind bars at Azkaban almost brought the tears to his eyes again. Too far away to reach as he desperately tried to get through the gaps to save her, Dementors tearing and pulling at his legs as he fought to grab her flailing hands.

Soon the flailing stopped. Neville turned his thoughts away as he stared at the flames heating the kettle. It started to whistle, so he rose, pulling a couple of mugs from the nearby cupboard. He liked doing things the muggle way sometimes, It meant that he had to think about what he was doing instead of waving a wand and magic doing the rest.

Throwing a teabag in he added the boiling water and left it to diffuse before turning to the larder for the milk. When he returned, the tea was a cheery cherry brown as he plucked the teabags out and added the milk. He turned and placed the mugs on the table before sliding into his chair again.

Tyto was missing from her stand, and Neville wondered whether she would be bringing back word from Pansy. After the nightmare, he was even more desperate just to know that she was alright. He knew it had only been less than two days, but the nervous energy that danced across his skin yearned to hear from her or touch her. He wondered whether he was feeling touch starved, so used to her near-consistent affection that he was now going through the withdrawal symptoms.

The slow thump on the stairs told him that his gran was approaching. He wondered what her reaction to being awoken so early would be as she shuffled into the room behind him. Waiting for her response, he motioned to the brew steaming away on the opposite placemat.

"Morning," he greeted as she lowered herself down creakily.

"Morning," She said once she was seated. "So, what happened?"

It was both a blessing and a curse with his gran, she didn't sugar-coat anything, it was usually straight down to business with no preamble. This morning, he wasn't sure he could cope with the directness of the question and the rawness of the emotions that still swirled away under the surface.

He sipped his tea gingerly as he stalled, but her direct stare pricked him into talking.

"I just had a bad dream," He said simply, avoiding her gaze as he stared into the steam from his cup.

"I know, I felt you fall out of bed," She said with a shake of her head. He cringed, so much for the silencing charms. Knowing it was a combination of being tired and lonely didn't stop the pathetic and overwhelming feelings of failure as he sat quietly, fingering the uneven surface of the glaze of the mug. "Come on, out with it, There's no point dwelling on dreams."

She sipped her own tea, looking even more foreboding with her hair loose than she did with it tightly set on her head. He squirmed uncomfortably.

"It's alright, Gran, I know it wasn't real."

"Bare them to the light, my boy. You'll see how ridiculous they are," He sighed. She wasn't going to let it go. She was just as stubborn as Devil's snare, once she had her tentacles in something.

"I dreamt I was trying to save Pansy from Azkaban," He said quickly with a roll of his eyes. He knew it sounded stupid, but it only made him feel even more pathetic at letting it upset him as much as it had.

"I see," She said calmly, clutching her mug in her hands.

"She spent some of the summer there while they were waiting for trials," Neville explained.

"So she's already been in there?" She asked more to herself, "Poor child," She said with a shake of her head.

Neville nodded, looking at his fingers and his chewed fingernails. "she was drowning in her cell, and the dementors were trying to pull me away. I fell out of bed trapped in the bedsheets," He finished.

"Well, Azkaban and Dementors are certainly worth having nightmares about, such terribly dark things to know about."

"It makes it worse as I haven't heard anything from her. I know she's probably not there but what if she is?"

"She won't be, She's at home with her family. She may not have received your letters yet. I remember not hearing from your grandfather for almost a year during the war. I didn't know whether he was alive or not. Try not to worry."

He wondered whether Malfoy was passing on his letters at all. That would explain why nothing had come through. He would write to Malfoy and ask as well as writing to her again. Anything from her would be a blessing.

"Now, I suggest you go upstairs and get back to sleep before I start putting you to work on the decorations." She smiled, reaching to pat his hand kindly.

Neville quirked his lips in an attempt at a smile before finishing his cup and standing up. He gathered his things and nodded before leaving the room. She shivered against the cold chill in the air again as he climbed the stairs.

After a couple of hours tossing and turning in his infuriating bedclothes, he finally got up. Red streaks scorched the horizon turning the snow a soft pink as the light started to return to the world. He took a shower, hoping that he could rid himself of the chill that had settled into his bones. Standing in the roll-top bath, surrounded in the curtain, he stooped under the shower rose as the piping hot water rushed over his skin, almost hot enough to burn as he held his head under the stream. He must have grown since he was last home, as the showerhead seemed lower than it had.

Tar filled his mind, splashing up the walls and painting everything it touched in sticky black gunk. He watched helplessly as she howled as the tar coated her body, turning the ivory flesh slick and dirty. He watched through the bars, the tar not leaking into the corridor where he stood, the bars somehow keeping it contained. He felt them bite into his shoulder as he forced himself through between them in a vain attempt to reach her. She reached for him, her fingertips glancing his own before he was pulled away.

Icy, decaying fingers clutched his ankles, pulling him from the bars. He gripped them with a death hold with his right arm, his left still striving to reach her. The tar was now up to her throat, the Alexandrite pendant disappearing from view. He cried out as the bony claws sunk into his flesh like needles, pulling him away.

"Go. Leave me. Get out." Pansy cried as a wave of tar collapsed upon her, finally submerging her completely. He watched helplessly as bubbles rose to the surface of the tar in the place where she had been.

Neville shivered. Even under the hot stream of water, he could still feel the grip of the dementors as they wrested him from the bars, before smothering him to feed. The icy grip on his arms and legs, holding him down seemed to have left a mark. Every happy thought and feeling had been tainted with a bitter tint as he faced his death, glad to give up knowing she was gone.

It was at that moment, whatever spell that kept the tar at bay, gave way. Hot tar rushed through the cave-like corridors of the prison, smothering him and ridding him of the dementors. While he struggled for breath in the black liquid, he felt the pull on his soul as the dementors returned, their shrouded faces pressing against his skin. He closed his eyes and gave up as they kissed him.

In the light of day, he felt pathetic for giving up, but he wasn't sure that he would have done anything differently had it been real. He washed and stepped out of the shower, feeling cleaner but not better. He towelled himself dry and dressed in his warmest and most comfortable clothes, including a pair of jeans and a large Aran jumper that some relative had knitted him. It was too big, but there was something comforting about that.

He yawned before setting his jaw, determined to get the decorations up and sorted before lunchtime.

When lunchtime rolled by, he was still trying to untangle the lights for the tree. However, the decorations that now adorned the house made him feel a little more festive.

Finally, when everything was put together and put up, he sat down and took a deep breath. The work had done its job, distracting his mind from the nightmare and improving his mood.

"Here, a well-earned brew," His gran said as she held out a cup of tea to him. He took it keenly and nodded thanks. The sky was starting to darken out the window, and it dawned on him that it was the shortest day, the Winter Solstice. His mind wandered to the Slytherins and wondered whether Blaise had taken him at his word about the Parkinsons masque. After the dream, he'd have eagerly turned up naked just to catch a glimpse of her and make sure she was alright.

He felt his mood sour slightly as he watched the flames in the fireplace and listened to the music on the wireless. Celestina Warbeck was monopolising the airwaves as she usually did this time of year, Not that his gran would complain. She looked more than content, sat knitting in the other armchair. He sipped the tea as he stared into the flames, losing himself to thought.

The fire spluttered for a moment before turning green, drawing Neville back from his thoughts.

"Hello?" came a voice from the fire.

"Hello, Who speaks?" His gran answered, not looking up from her knitting.

"Good evening. Is this the Longbottom residence? It's Mr Zabini, can Neville Longbottom be found here?" Came the reply.

His gran stopped knitting, her needles falling silent before she scowled. She looked between him and the fire before making up her mind.

"And what is your business with Mr Longbottom?" She asked cautiously.

"I was wondering whether he is free this evening to accompany me to a Yule party," He replied smoothly.

Neville's heart gave out a loud beat of excitement as he moved to the edge of the chair eagerly. His gran smirked and rolled her eyes.

"You may come through." She replied before the fire died down. Then, after a moment, the fire erupted into a mass of green flames as two figures stepped through, crowding the small area in front of the mantlepiece.


	91. Friends

"Blaise, you actually came? I thought you were joking," Neville said as he jumped from his seat, a sudden bout of energy springing him forward to embrace the wizard.

"Neville. You are many things, but unforgettable is not one of them. I couldn't bear the thought of you wallowing in your self-pity when I could do something to help," He grinned as they parted, his grin infectious.

Neville took in his appearance and noted the costume. The tunic, which was black with gold filigree embroidered into the material hung loosely down to his knees, and looked slightly Arabic in design. The gold trim around the edges highlighted the caramel tones in his skin.

"Thank Merlin, you are here, take my grandson out and cheer him up. He's making Yule feel like Samhain!" His gran chirped as she fought her way out of the armchair. The other figure leant forward, offering her an arm to grip onto.

"Thank you…" She paused, her eyes narrowing at the flash of bright blond hair. "Mr Malfoy." She said finally. Neville watched as Draco stood carefully, waiting for the backlash that was no doubt coming. "And I must say, as you are here. Well done with that article for my grandson. And the way you run the paper in general. Much better than the last lot," She nodded. Draco's shock showed in his eyes as he took the compliment with a nod. His own costume was very tight and rigid, just like him. He wore white breeches with brown knee-high boots, and a green and silver corseted waistcoat with a white shirt underneath. Both men wore cloaks and looked stunning.

"I'm glad someone is happy with the progress we're striving for," He remarked.

"I don't trust papers any more, no offence, however, it is reassuring to know that yours is at least more factual than that toilet paper competitor." She said seemingly oblivious to the backhanded compliment. Draco smiled and nodded again, a tightness around his eyes this time.

"Yes, that… publication has a lot to answer for." He replied curtly.

"Gran, obviously, you've met Draco, this is Blaise Zabini. This is the friend who has been helping me with my Charms work at school."

Neville watched as she blushed behind her tortoiseshell glasses as she looked up at him and smiled.

"Welcome to the Longbottom residence," she chuckled girlishly. Neville cough to cover a snort, earning a glare from his gran.

"Just take him already. I need some peace and quiet!" she proclaimed dramatically before walking off towards the kitchen, "Do you boys want a brew?" she called before disappearing completely.

"No, thank you, Maam," Blaise replied smoothly.

"No, thank you," Draco echoed as he looked around the living room.

"Come on," Neville said, feeling slightly nervous now that they were here, he had never had friends around his house before. Leading them up the stairs to his bedroom felt strange, only he and occasionally Gran ever came in here. Once inside, Blaise closed the door and looked around.

"So, this is what your room looks like?" He nodded in appreciation, Dray, you own me a galleon," He smirked.

"A galleon for what?" Neville asked before sitting on his bed.

"Blaise, in his infinite wisdom challenged me to a wager,"

"Oh?" Neville asked nervously as they stood in the centre of the room.

"I wagered that your bedroom would be full of plants, and Draco said that you probably had a bed in the greenhouse," Blaise laughed.

"With the number of plants in here I'm not far wrong," Draco said as he eyed all the pots along his mantlepiece.

"So, are you both alright? Is there any news? Have you heard from Pansy?"

Blaise and Draco looked at each other and shook their heads.

"We've not heard anything, which is strange," Blaise agreed.

"Before you ask, I've been sending your bloody letters, as I promised, but Thoth came back empty-handed each time." He shrugged, "They may have been busy setting up for this Masque." He offered, but Neville could see that he too looked unsettled by this change in behaviour.

"Speaking of the masque, the only way we're going to be able to check on her is if we hurry up. Neville, go get changed."

"What should I wear?" He asked a feeling of cold, foreboding washing over him. Maybe turning up naked was still an option.

"This. Draco and I had a feeling that you wouldn't have the right clothes for the occasion, so we took the liberty, I hope you don't mind?" Blaise said as he offered him a clothes hanger covered with a shroud. Neville frowned in confusion.

"What's this?"

"It's an erumpent horn," Draco said sarcastically. "It's dress robes, obviously! Now hurry up and get dressed so that we can go already,"

"Go on, try it on, and we'll make any adjustments needed once you're in them." Neville nodded and took the hanger before going to leave the room.

"Nev, where are you going? Just do it here, It's not like you're taking off your underwear," Blaise suggested. Neville paused and nodded, feeling under scrutiny, like the only fat kid in school again.

"Also, you may need help," Draco added

He pulled off his jumper and threw it onto the bed before undoing his shirt. Once undone, that then joined his jumper.

"Wow, Longbottom, you really have outdone yourself. I'm impressed," Draco nodded with a smirk his eyes catching sight of his chest.

Neville blushed as he reached into the shroud, ignoring the insecurity. With the shroud undone his costume was revealed. Deep, rich, purple was the first colour to catch his eye, the shimmering silk glistening as he removed the garment from the shroud, exposing it to the light. It was a simple enough tunic which had a single button at the throat and no collar to speak of. He slipped it on, marvelling at the perfect fit.

Blaise and Draco looked around his room as they waited for him to dress, giving the Mimbletonia a wide birth.

The next item was a smoky grey that was almost black, flowers and vines decorated the material in gunmetal silver, shimmering where it caught the light. A gold trim followed each seam making the waist appear almost corseted. It had a distinct medieval appearance to it as he slipped it on over the shirt. It felt weighty against his skin, the angled shoulder pads making him look even broader. At this point the other two moved in, Draco behind and Blaise in front.

"This is where you need help," Blaise smirked as he started pulling at straps and doing up buttons, while Draco tugged and pulled at things unseen on his back. The overcoat was tight to his forearms and then billowed out between his elbow and shoulder. He felt like he would fit in with the courtiers during Elizabethan times. A complicated plait of string and buttons crisscrossed up his chest, leaving a wide panel of the purple silk undershirt visible.

The two men stepped back and admired him.

"Once he gets the breeches on, he'll be passable," Draco muttered.

"Passable?" Blaise barked "She will see him and her dress will fall off!" he laughed

"I hope not literally," Neville laughed nervously. Blaise shrugged with a wink.

"Come on, get these on too." Blaise held out what looked like narrow, skintight trousers. "Hmm, looking at how tight these are and the size of your thighs, you may need to lose the boxers," Blaise said thoughtfully.

"Are you serious?" Neville asked.

"Do you want to see Pansy, or not?"

"Fine," He huffed, Pulling down his boxers and grabbing the trousers. He'd already resigned himself to what he would do, so a brief moment of nudity amongst friends was nothing.

Blaise smirked before averting his gaze to look at Draco. Draco raised an eyebrow as though mildly interested.

"Lucky girl," Blaise muttered.

"Stop that!" Neville snapped. "You know we haven't… y'know!"

"You haven't?" They both asked seriously, his nudity forgotten in their surprise.

"No, we promised not to,"

"And she actually kept that promise?" Draco asked, his eyebrows raised and his eyes wide, looking more expressive than he had ever seen.

"Yes, We both promised we wouldn't break that rule, and we haven't,"

"Never?" Blaise asked again, sounding unconvinced.

"Nope, not once,"

"Wow," Blaise shook his head. "I was sure you had, especially that morning you both missed breakfast,"

"Not even then,"

"Your self-restraint is impressive," Draco nodded. "I find myself questioning many things about you this evening, Longbottom."

"I'll take that as a compliment," Neville smirked as he adjusted the waistline of the trousers.

"Pull down the tunic and put these on," Blaise ordered handing him a pair of thigh-high boots. He stumbled as he tried to pull them on, but Draco grabbed his arm, steadying him.

"Thanks," He said meeting the cool grey eyes of the Slytherin. Draco nodded, and Neville got the distinct impression that he was warming slightly to him. Once the boots were on, he stood waiting for their approval as their eyes moved over the outfit.

"I vote we stay here and ravish him," Blaise offered,

"Seconded," Draco smirked "However, he is missing a couple of finishing touches," Draco grabbed another swathe of material from the shroud and disappeared behind him. His cold fingers brushed his neck as he attached something to his right shoulder, the weight making him feel slightly lopsided. "And this," He said, handing him something as he reappeared to stand in front of Blaise again.

The weight, he realised was a cape, attached at one shoulder which felt strange. He swayed a few times before looking at the item in his hands. It was a mask, The mask was grey with purple and gold vines and flowers flowing up and around the eye hole. It matched his costume perfectly, as it did his personality and Pansy's favourite colour. This was no off-the-rack item that had been purchased in haste, this was something that had been made especially with him in mind.

He swallowed thickly before putting the mask on, hoping it would hide the thoughts rushing behind his eyes.

"How do I look?" He asked, his voice wavering slightly.

"Perfect," Blaise said with an impressed nod. Draco nodded his approval too.

"If she doesn't hex her parents and run away with you tonight, I will be deeply offended!" Blaise smirked.

"Thank you. For everything, this must have been expensive, let me pay you for it."

"Neville! Friends don't talk about money!" Blaise said, shutting him up.

"Thank you," He repeated as he ran his hands over the material, and moving to get used to the strange sensations of wearing these odd clothes.

"Right then, Lets bid your delightful grandmother adieu and make our way there," Blaise determined as they moved towards the bedroom door.


	92. Calliope Parkinson

***Sorry for the delay in getting this chapter out to you. I am still working on the series but due to real life, fests and my muse being a flightly mistress it's been difficult finding the right words.

Please trust me when I say that only death will stop me from finishing this story as just like you, I've been waiting over 90 chapters to see them get their happily ever after. Just because I'm writing it, doesn't mean they let me get away with anything! lol

If you are struggling between updates, please check out the other things I'm working on as I'm usually pretty regular with updates in general. these other works include but are not limited to  
"Get Knotted" a werewolf Neville/Healer Pansy A/B/O fic (20 Chapters so far),  
"Our Neglect" a Post-war Auror series I intend to start in earnest in the new year.  
and finally  
the "Panevi11e drabble fest". This latter one is an AO3 only fest hosted by the "Paneville Support Group" on Facebook. I recommend as it currently will include almost 20 authors writing between 30 and 35 drabbles or multichapter story based on 35 prompts. This will be available by December first. So if, like me, you are Paneville-Obsessed, I suggest you keep your eyes open :) Or if you would like to take part, please comment below or find me on Facebook either through the P.S.G group or via my name "GC Graywriter" :)

Thanks again for your patience...***

With an air-shattering crack, the world stopped spinning as they were forced back into the frigid December air. The trio appeared at the edge of a long hedge-lined driveway, the sound of other merrymakers surrounding them as they gathered their bearings. The other guests flowed towards the lights at the far end as though dragged by a current towards the imposing house.

Neville looked around nervously, checking his mask was firmly in place as he took in the other guests. Upon initially seeing Draco and Blaise, he had thought their outfits were slightly outlandish. Now; however, he saw that between them, they were indeed tame in comparison to the other guests that now surrounded them. Each costumer was more elaborate than the next, one woman-he assumed it was a woman, was wearing a huge silver ballgown with a feather tiara that would put a peacock to shame. Another guest reminded him starkly, of one of the many masked death eaters with their gunmetal grey skull mask. He swallowed and shivered as he turned back to the two surefooted men in front of him.

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Neville whispered, leaning closer to be heard.

"My darling Matteo. You'll dance, you'll drink, you'll admire the beautiful ladies…" He saw Blaise grin from under his gold and black half mask, his eyes flashing with mischief as they approached. "Just relax and pretend that you're meant to be here,"

That was easier said than done, he thought as they followed people that had potentially followed the Dark Lord's progress with anticipation. He tried to rid himself of the notion as he followed behind the others, taking in the scene around him.

The southern ground looked remarkably bare without the snow. It always caught Neville off guard just how much the weather changed from place to place when apparating. The trees and hedges glittering with lights-the only thing stopping them melting into the sounding night, as they swayed in the breeze. Even the plants here seemed forbidding and overbearing, as though generations of dark purebloods had infected the soil. He shivered and not entirely because of the cold.

Suddenly, the driveway opened up into a large round area, presumably so that carriages could pull up and turn around in days gone by. However, now it opened up the house in all its ancient glory as it glowed n the lights, flashing its medieval design and elaborate stonework to any close enough to behold.

Music could be heard from within, and the leaded windows shone like beacons into the night, scenes portraying wizard supremacy over the muggle underclass glowing with unsettling clarity. He wondered whether the pictures were allegorical or whether they showed real events. He turned away from the disturbing images, his stomach churning uncomfortably.

Neville shivered, less from the cold than from seeing Pansy's home up close. He wondered what it must have been like growing up in such a place, witnessing scenes of torture and subjugation during breakfast. He couldn't imagine it. It was so at odds with his own upbringing.

A group of costumed guests seemed to have gathered at the door as raised voiced could be heard. Upon closer inspection, it appeared that the guest wearing the dress large enough to fit a Quidditch team beneath it was having trouble getting through the wide wooden doors. A few people laughed while others growled their impatience at the ridiculousness of it as steam gathered in a cloud above them. Blaise and Draco snorted derisively as the guest finally pushed through and disappeared into the interior.

With the blockage cleared, the other guests passed the butler with ease, the crowd before them thinning until there was only the three of them left. The butler looked down his nose at them before checking a scroll of paper that hovered just to the side. He reminded Neville of a potato fresh out the ground, full of dark wrinkles and scars. He wondered how many of them were from being in service with the Parkinsons.

"Names?" He asked, his voice whiney and high like a creaky wooden door.

"Draco Malfoy, Blaise Zabini And guest,"

"Guest?" The butler asked, looking Neville up and down before looking back to his list. "Mr Zabini and Guest are permittable, Mr Malfoy; however, is not."

They all stood motionless as the news hit.

"Excuse me?" He asked, his voice low and derisive. Neville stared as the butlers bored, dead eyes regarded the blond.

"I said that you are not on the list." He repeated with little to no emotion.

"But that's impossible." He said with a snort. "I am Miss Parkinson's best friend, I must be on the list."

"Well, sir. You're not,"

"I demand you check as I can assure you there must be some mistake,"

"There is no mistake, sir." The potato-headed man replied, "The Master removed you off the list, himself."

"Mr Parkinson?" Blaise asked

"Yes sir,"

"Why would he remove the Malfoy heir from the list?" Blaise asked.

"It is not my job to question why, sir."

"It's because he angered my Husbands wishes," Came a sultry voice from further in the doorway.

"Mrs Parkinson, A pleasure," Blaise said, offering his hand to her. She placed hers in his, and he kissed the back with a deep bow.

"Mr Zabini, I wondered whether you would be in attendance this evening, and please, never Mrs Parkinson. It's just Calliope!" She smiled as she appreciated his face before turning her attention to him. Neville squirmed uncomfortably under the intense gaze. He searched her face for hints of Pansy. Still, he saw nothing except possible the lips and the questioning angle of the eyebrow.

"Good Evening, Calliope." Draco nodded his head to her "Please, how have I angered Mr Parkinson?

"It has something to do with the love letters my daughter has been receiving from a Mr Gomez?" She replied with a raised eyebrow and a twitch of her plump lips. Neville held his breath at the realisation that they knew about the letters. He closed his eyes in regret before looking up at her again. She watched him suspiciously before she waved at the butler.

"Let them all in, Sanderson."

"But, madam, The master said-"

"Not to let him in. Yes, yes! I am well aware as I was present at the time. Allow Mr Malfoy through with his… friends."

"Are you sure, Mrs P- Calliope?" Blaise asked with another nod.

"Indeed, I am. Watching my husband fume over those letters was the most entertainment I have had in quite some time. Although I'm sure my poor daughter wouldn't agree. I am intrigued… Who is this… Gomez?"

"He is a student," Draco muttered as he stepped closer.

"Pureblood?"

"Yes, Maam," He replied, avoiding Neville's eye.

"Shame. However, this suitor must be utterly disreputable in some way to vex Linden so… I find myself already endeared towards him. It makes a change for my Daughter to do something so… interesting,"

"Madam, I really must protest-" Sanderson pleaded from behind them. "The Master will be most displeased."

"I am counting on it, now allow Mr Malfoy passage," She grinned.

She stepped back into the light, and Neville noted how little Pansy looked like her mother, with hair that any Weasley would be jealous to own. The amber waves fell about her face like liquid fire as she stood in her midnight blue dress clinging to sumptuous, plump curves which Pansy had not inherited. The dress was formal but nowhere near elaborate enough for the masquerade taking place. As though seeing the question in his eyes she smiled slightly and Neville saw the first likeness to Pansy he's noticed.

"This is one of Linden's affair, of which I have no interest in. I have paid my dues." She smiled and raised an eyebrow at him -another gesture that reminded him of Pansy. "So, You are Mr Zabini's guest." She offered her hand for him to kiss, which he did so dutifully.

"Indeed, Please may I introduce Matteo Palmieri, Of the Venician Palmieri's." Blaise introduced him, and Neville nodded his head cautiously.

"Ah, Mr Palmieri, Lovely to meet you. Are you over here long?" She asked, a smile playing on her lips. He got the distinct impression that she knew they were lying.

"He's here until tomorrow, and then we'll both be returning to Italy," Blaise interjected.

"I see, and is there a reason that he didn't tell me that himself?" Neville opened his mouth to say something when Blaise clapped a hand onto his shoulder, gripping it tighter in a warning.

"His English pronunciation is not great, and he gets embarrassed."

"We can revert to Italian if you like? I am fluent," She said, raising a daring eyebrow.

"He prefers to converse in English to practice," Neville nodded and tried to offer a smile.

Pansy's mother smirked and shook her head.

"Very well, Lovely to meet you, Mr Palmieri. Hopefully, we will get a chance to talk later. I feel that we would get on well." She winked and smirked before moving away.

"Thank you again, Mrs P- Calliope," Draco said as she waved a dismissive hand.

"Don't make me regret it," She nodded before she disappeared into the throngs of people.

"Salazar! That was close!" Draco breathed. Before nodding to someone's greeting as they passed.

"She knows, I'm sure she does," Neville muttered, looking around for the Matriarch.

"I'm not sure how, but even if she does, she still allowed you in, so I don't believe it's anything we need concern ourselves with, " Blaise said, clapping his hand on his shoulder where he had gripped it so firmly before. "And now that we're in, let's find the alcohol," He smirked, his grin infectious from under his half mask.


	93. Let Us Dispense With Formalities

The colours were the first thing that Neville noticed as they entered the great hall. The room couldn't be called anything other than great. It was huge and bright, its stone walls painted white to reflect the light within. He could only assume that on a sunny day, this room was blinding like being in the centre of a kaleidoscope with the leaded windows. Piano music floated through the air, and he caught sight of a grand sat in one corner, it's pianist playing for dear life to be heard over the din of the party-goers. He struggled to focus on anything for more than a second before some else even more dazzling caught his eye. The scene before him looked as though he had walked into a Taylors backroom as fabrics of vivid reds and electric blues billowed and swished past in an epic display of vulgar indulgence and extravagance.

"Matteo," Neville hesitated before turning, forgetting that Matteo was his name for the evening.

"Sorry?" he asked eventually, dragging his gaze away from the lavish costumes.

"Salazar! Stop being so simple, staring gormlessly into the crowd and come on!" Draco sighed with a roll of his eyes.

"That was uncalled for, Dray," Blaise frowned "He's never been to one of these before, I remember your first one…" Neville smiled at Blaise as he heard the reproach in his voice.

"That's not the point. No one is ever going to believe that he is a pureblood son of a great house if he keeps gawping at everything."

"I am a pureblood son of a great house," Neville remarked cooly. "And I'm sorry if my presence here embarrasses you."

"No… Matteo! What embarrasses me is that somehow Pansy's parents found out about her sordid love affair with 'Gomez'! Whoever that is, and my name got dragged through the mud along with it." He growled, "Next time, get your own owl!"

"You're right, I'm sorry," Neville admitted, causing Draco to turn and look at him in confusion. "It's difficult when you love someone and can't bear to be apart. You do stupid things. If you want me to put a good word in for you with Harry, just let me know," Neville replied, holding his gaze, daring the other man to argue. Draco stopped in his tracks, his mouth opening and closing like a goldfish before turning wordlessly to disappear into the crowd.

Neville watched him go, feeling a sense of satisfaction as Blaise's laughter broke through his thoughts.

"Oh, Matteo! I should bring you out more often, I think it brings out the snake in you, and I like it!" He slapped Neville on the back again as he guided him in the same direction Draco had gone.

It took them a while to reach the bar as almost everyone seemed to know Blaise and wanted to greet him and meet his friend. The Italian did all of the talking, blaming Neville's silence of a debilitating stutter. Neville was surprised at the sheer magnitude of the ball and the number of guests in attendance. However, his eyes were always looking out for the midnight hair and star-dust eyes, without success.

It occurred to him that she would have been in trouble for receiving such letters, and he hoped that she had not come to harm. The thought filled him with a nervous dread as anything even remotely looking like black hair drew his attention.

"You wait here, I'll go get us some drinks. Otherwise, the party will be over before we've managed a single sip." Blaise said with a shake of his head. Neville nodded as he rested against one of the marble pillars, as his eyes swept the crowd. He fought with himself not to fidget as his eyes continued to seek out his sweetheart. Once again, he felt like an addict, needing just one more hit before going cold turkey.

"Oh, yes, Lucerne is, of course, the place to be at the moment. The skiing is by far the best in Europe, in my opinion. I only came back to see the folks," A smug voice announced, and Neville turned to find the speaker.

The man was about his height-maybe a fraction shorter, with sleeked blond hair. It was difficult to recognise the man with all his finery and costume; however, that ego was unmistakable and could only be confused with Lockhart in his opinion.

He remained still as he listened to the conversation. He thought it strange that the owner of the Saga would live so far away from the paper he supposedly ran.

"Yes, yes. These were from Milan, they were hideously expensive, but sometimes you have to treat yourself, don't you agree?" The other person was too quiet to make out, but McLaggan's voice carried just fine. "Yes, the paper is doing very well, according to my partner. Yes, yes, said that it's selling better than cauldron cakes, would you believe? I haven't read any of the headlines, not yet but I believe that Skeeter has it all under control, she does have experience in that area after all." Neville listened avidly while trying to remain bored-looking as he waited for Blaise to return. "Speaking of experience, my dear… How do you feel about Centaurs?" He said smoothly, obviously trying to woo the other person. "Drusilla. No. Come back,"

Neville watched as the man disappeared off into the crowd after his love interest, he smirked to himself, wondering what Centaurs had to do with experience. He shrugged and waited as he mulled over the information. Harry and Ron would be sure to want to know about his living arrangements, not to mention the senior role Skeeter had within the company. He filed it away for later as he continued to wait.

After what felt like an eternity, he took another look around and found Blaise chatting animatedly with someone in a flamboyant, purple outfit. Neville sighed, it didn't look like he was going to be finished any time soon, and there was a distinct lack of drinks in his hands. He rolled his eyes as he looked around for the blond. With that silver hair, Neville reasoned that he should have been easy to spot, but with so many different colours filling the room, he was nowhere to be seen. Not that Neville thought he would be in a rush to return after their spat.

He waited a few more minutes as his eyes darted from face to face, hoping to catch the slightest sighting of Pansy. But with every new face came a growing unease and disappointment. Deciding that he had been forgotten, he moved from the pillar in search of his girlfriend. Desperate to see her eyes and feel her skin. He pushed himself through the crowds of people nodding to people as he passed.

He wondered whether she was locked away in a room somewhere, kept prisoner in her own house as people gorged and binged just feet away. The piano music seemed to linger in the air even after the din of voices disappeared. He opened one door to find a closet. The second in the ornate corridor held a darkened empty room. He lit the end of his wand up, but there was nothing to see but furniture. He rushed to the next door and pushed it open. He felt a glimmer of hope when he noticed that there was a fire burning. He looked around, unable to see anyone. He moved forward, closing the door quietly behind him.

The room was just as spacious as the last. Still, the furniture looked slightly more comfortable, as though it had been purchased to be used and enjoyed instead of just being looked at it. It had a feminine touch to it.

"So, what should I call you?" Came the voice. His veins turned to ice as he stood in the centre of the room, feeling exposed and in danger.

"Scusate," he muttered as he tried to remember the Italian his Gran had tried to drum into him.

"So, Matteo, or should I say, Gomez?" She hummed as she emerged from the shadows behind him. "Or is it Longbottom? I'm feeling dizzy with all these names," she pressed a short tumbler to her lips, the ice clinking in the glass. A cigarette smoked in her other hand. She placed the stem against her mouth and sucked, turning the light from s bright cherry hue to a white glow. Neville coughed as her smoke caught the back of his through. They reminded him of one of his uncles as a child, sitting on his knee as he smoked. She blew the smoke away from them both as she eyed him curiously.

"I'm sorry," He tried to say in an Italian accent, feeling both foolish and incompetent.

She laughed, looking at him before moving past him to sit in the armchair by the fire. The golden light washing her in warm hues, She sipped on her drink again as she studied him like a fox watching her prey.

"Alright, Matteo. How are you finding the party?"

Neville looked around awkwardly as he tried to remember any other Italian, but his mind was drawing a blank. "I have a proposal for you… Matteo. We dispense with the lies, and you tell me the truth. In return, I won't get Sanderson to throw you and your friends out of the party." She sipped her drink again, raising her eyebrow in a gesture so similar to Pansy that Neville felt a pang of worry.

"Alright,"

"So, Would you prefer, Mr Longbottom, Neville or would you prefer I call you Gomez?" She purred before taking another drag of her cigarette.

"Neville, please," he croaked, removing his mask. "What gave me away?" he asked.

"What didn't, you mean?" She laughed, and it was musical, again similar to Pansy. "Firstly, Last I heard the real Matteo Palmieri was at least twenty years your senior; secondly your accent is much too strong to convincingly pull off Italian, it seeps into your vowels."

"Blaise said the same thing," He admitted.

"Come, sit down. I wish to know more about the boy who has stolen my daughter's heart. Would you like a drink?" She asked, levitating him a glass of amber liquid before he had the chance to answer.

"Heart? I'm sure that's not…"

"I know a girl in love when I see it, I was young and in love once too." She smiled as her eyes followed him as he sat down in the chair opposite.

"Where is Pansy? Did she get in trouble because of my letters?" He asked nervously as he rubbed his palms on the legs of his costume.

"She was already in trouble the moment she returned home from school, I'm afraid. Something about a run-in with Miss Ent, my Husband's solicitor after the awful business about Theo." She took another drag of her cigarette, making the end glow in the dim room. "The ineffable Miss Ent believed that my daughter was still socialising with a most unsavoury character and blood traitor to boot. So her governess was recalled, and she will no longer be returning to Hogwarts next term." Neville's heart plummeted at the news.

"But…" he thought about arguing but couldn't think of a single thing that would convince her to change her mind.

"And then your letter arrived. Oh, don't blame yourself, dear boy. Linden would have known nothing about it had it not been for… well." She looked awkwardly down at the glass she held in her hands.

"What? Please tell me."

"Do you truly love my daughter? As you said in your letter?" She asked, changing the subject.

"I do, I need to see her," He asked, feeling desperate, "Where is she?"

"Linden fell into a rage when he read your letter, and my daughter got the wrong end of his wand." She said as she turned to the fire, the flames reflecting in her eyes. "It was a very beautiful letter, If I were 20 years younger I'd be tempted to offer you a counteroffer," she smirked, turning her eyes to him before looking him up and down. "Unless you like an older woman, of course."

His mouth ran dry as his mind tried to keep up with the conversation. "Sorry, Mrs Parkinson, Is Pansy alright?" he said, ignoring her overtures.

"She is now," she nodded "Change is coming, Neville Longbottom. And with it new responsibilities and obstacles. Are you up to the challenge?" she asked. He frowned and nodded before opening his mouth to say more, but she interrupted him. "I will make a prediction, albeit divination was never my strongest subject. I predict that this evening will end sooner than you anticipated and that you will be heartbroken. When that happens, I want you to remember that change is coming, but it's not always bad." She nodded.

"Alright?" He added cautiously. "When will I see her?" Calliope leant forward.

"My husband will be unveiling his newest creation any time now, so drink up and go find her,"

He sniffed the liquid and knocked it back without a second thought, feeling the burn as it flowed through his gullet. He cringed and coughed as he looked at the glass. He was sure acid would have been smoother. She chuckled Pansy's musical chuckle as she sipped her own. "The cheap stuff is the best when all you want to do is forget," She said her smile dropping from her lips as her gaze moved back to the fire.

Feeling as though he had been dismissed, he stood and headed toward the door. He shot a final look back before opening the door,

"Matteo? Hope is something that can disappear in the blink of an eye, Don't give it up without a fight." She called cryptically as he nodded, leaving her alone.

He stood for a moment as he tried to gather his thoughts, the alcohol fuzzing his brain as the heavy feeling in his limbs appeared as it always did when he started to drink. He wondered whether it was likely that she could have poisoned him but decided against it. There was something pathetically desperate about Pansy's mother like a life unlived. He thought of her like a caged nightingale.

He shook his head as he turned back the way he had come, hoping that she was right about Pansy making an entrance. He didn't like the way she had termed it though. One of her husband's new creations? What was that supposed to mean? He rushed back, putting his mask back on as he joining the now hushed crowd.


	94. She Chose Another

He swallowed thickly as he gazed up at the natural balcony that the stairs made overlooking the crowd. There Pansy stood, and suddenly he was unable to breathe. She was practically naked, only the slithering, silvery vines climbing up her form, hiding her breasts from view. He could see no straps to support the vines as she stood glittering in the light, posing for people to admire her. The hues reminded him of a wedding dress as she paused, her midnight hair pinned away from her face, allowing a clean pale line of flesh between her throat almost to her navel. She regarded the crowd before with thinly veiled disdain as her stare moved over them individually. He caught her eye for the briefest of seconds before her gaze moved on.

The disappointment was immediate and sharp as he watched her descend the steps. He had been sure that if their eyes met, she would recognise him. The devastation filled him before he remembered he was wearing a mask. A glimmer of hope as she arrived at the bottom and paused again to be admired, knowing all eyes were on her. She tilted her face up, as graceful as ever as her pale stare moved through the crowd of men, gathering with hands proffered for a dance. He pushed forward, feeling a surge of jealousy at all these men being able to ogle her. He met her eye and offered his hand also a slight quirk of his lips, hoping to catch her attention.

She chose another.

The devastation returned tenfold as the dark-skinned wizard moved forward, guiding her towards the centre of the hall where his hand gripped her waist. Neville wanted to growl as the pianist started up a new melody. The wizard was a skilful dancer, much better than himself. However, Pansy appeared painfully bored as she moved with him. Her eyes focused on a far off point as she followed his lead with ease.

The dress glinted and shone as it moved against the light. Close up, it looked even more like a wedding dress with its pale lines and soft swirls. The dress was cut low, leaving the small of her back exposed before the vines moved up and around her breasts. He could see the two dimples on her lower back, that he had traced with his fingers numerous times before. As she turned, the soft valley between her breasts flashed, reminding him of their time together. He wondered whether she still bore the marks of their time together.

The song finished and she pulled away as though wanting to touch him for as short a time as possible. They both clapped the musician for the performance as the other bachelor's swarmed forward, hoping to be chosen. And again his hand was ignored in favour of a man dressed in pale blue.

"There you are!" Blaise announced from his side, drawing his attention for a moment. "Where have you been? I returned, and you had disappeared,"

"I went to look for Pansy," He replied as he watched Pansy avidly, feeling both relieved and irritable. "And you looked busy chatting to people," She was alright and safe. That was the important thing, wasn't it? He chewed the inside of his lip, stopping him from raging as he saw the blue-clad wizard's hand slid over those dimples, skimming the top of her bottom. He closed his eyes, the hackles on his back, raising uncomfortably.

"You did what? Are you mental?" He exclaimed, passing Neville his drink. Neville knocked it back in one, letting the gold liquid burn his insides. The fire whiskey lived up to his name as the liquid left a fiery trail in its wake before burning like dying embers in her belly. His eyes sought out Pansy again and swallowed, his throat constricting tightly. "Salazar! Neville, that's fifteen-year-old fire whiskey! You don't just knock it back like cheap hooch!"

"I had to look for her. I couldn't just wait and hope she turned up. I found her mother instead," He murmured, ignoring his reproach before turning to the Italian, the alcohol still scorching his gullet. His limbs felt hot and leaden as he stood rooted to the spot.

"What? Caliope? Shit! This isn't good, Matteo! What did she say?" Blaise hissed pressing close so that there was less chance they were overheard. Neville could smell his aftershave, cypress and vetiver.

"She knew who I was and why I was here. She knew about Pansy and me. She knew everything," Neville swallowed, wishing that he had more whiskey to burn his worry away. Blaise must have noticed the look in his eye as he pushed his glass forward. Neville looked at him and nodded thanks.

"Calliope Parkinson is not a woman to be messed with, She's the one person besides Potter that I would've bet on to beat the dark lord. She's…" He paused and shook his head. "Something else! What else did she say?"

"That Pansy won't be returning to Hogwarts next year and that her governess has been recalled. Linden attacked her when he read my letter. She looks unharmed, but we both know that there are curses that don't leave physical marks," He swallowed the panic down, sipping on the whiskey this time, savouring the blistering heat that filled his veins as seemed to burn away the worry even if only temporarily.

"Shit!" Blaise swore quietly, "What else did she say?"

"Something about her husband unveiling his new creation, and that change is coming." He thought of the cryptic comment about hope as he felt it dwindling away in the arms of the blue-clad wizard.

"New creation?" Blaise frowned. "What could she mean?"

Neville shrugged as he watched Pansy dancing with yet another wizard, the music having changed while they had been talking. This wizard was dressed in browns and oranges, his dark skin adding to the exotic air.

"We need to get you noticed and dancing," Blaise concluded, "It's going to be the only way you'll get to speak with her without being overheard. Come on!" Blaise pulled on his arm, and he downed the remainder of the whiskey. He would probably regret it later, but right now, the pain was the only thing keeping him sane. They headed towards the edge of the circle where Pansy danced as gracefully as before. Blaise stopped suddenly, and Neville bumped into him. "Stand behind me," The darker man instructed. "When I hold my hand out, she'll take it, and I'll guide her to you, alright?"

"How do you know she'll choose you?"

"Please! We've known each other for eight years, plus she's seen this outfit already." He grinned wolfishly as Pansy cast her gaze around, spotting them instantly. Her lips quirk in a small smile as she approached them.

Neville felt transfixed as she stalked towards them, her dress longe enough to hide her shoes from view.

"Hey trouble, Give anyone a heart attack yet?" Blaise asked with a wink.

"Still trying," She replied as she took his hand.

"Not me, Pans. You met my good friend, Matteo?" He said grinning as he stepped to one side.

Pansy looked at him, her eyes narrowing in confusion. His heart seemed to stop as he waited for her to recognise him. "Why don't you dance and introduce yourselves," Blaise hinted guiding Neville forward.

Pansy nodded with a frown before letting Neville guide her to the centre of the floor again. He felt so nervous as he waited for her to see him.

"Hey love," He whispered, as they started to move as the music began again.

"Excuse me?" She asked, her frown deepening as she watched him, not a single hint of recognition in her eyes.

"It's me, Neville," He whispered again, pulling back to watch her face. He waited for her to break out into the smile, or her eyes to flash with recollection. Nothing happened, the frown remained as they moved.

"Neville? Neville who?"

"Um, Longbottom." He muttered weakly. He felt numb and sick at the realisation that there would be no recognition.

"The Gryffindor from school?" She asked, her voice dripping with confusion. "Why would Blaise be introducing me to you?"

"Because we're friends, at school,"

"No, we're not," She argued "We've barely ever spoken,"

"What happened? When you got home from the train?" He asked. Anxiety eating away at his heart as he searched for answers.

"Why? I don't owe you anything. You shouldn't even be here! If it wouldn't get Blaise into trouble, I'd make sure my father was aware of your presence."

"Want me to prove that we're friends?" He asked in desperation.

"Not particularly. No doubt Blaise has told you lots of juicy but irrelevant details about me. It's a prank, isn't it? You don't look much like Longbottom,"

"I promise you. Pansy, Please remember," he begged, she shook her head and stepped away a fraction sooner than the music took to end. She clapped again before walking away from him, shooting a confused glance over her shoulder as he stood watching after her in the middle of the ballroom.

Like a tower of glass bottles crashing to the floor, he heard his heart shatter as he watched her walk away. Had it all been a cruel joke and she had never loved him? Had Linden Parkinson Obliviated her? Had something else happened, too horrible to consider making her forget everything about them? He shuffled back to Blaise who stood looking just as confused as he approached.

"Hey, What happened?" He asked.

"She doesn't remember us, me. Any of it." He felt his throat tighten as he continued to walk. He needed a drink or three. He felt the presence of Blaise behind him as he reached the bar. He ordered and waited as a house-elf poured out three glasses of the whiskey he craved.

"What? How?" Blaise stuttered? "Memory charm? Imperio? Did she look vacant?"

"It wasn't Imperio, I'm not sure about a memory charm either. She thought you were playing a prank on her. This isn't what it's been all along, is it? You being nice to me and her pretending to like me?" He heard the insecurity in his voice and swallowed.

"Nev, No! This was never a joke. I vow to you, we're friends, and I would bet every Knut in my family's vault at Gringotts that it was never a joke for her either. She's been enchanted, that's all. We'll sort this out. Trust me!" Blaise slapped him on the back before taking one of the drinks. Neville grabbed one of the others before knocking that back too.

"I see that even you have your uses, Longbottom," Draco drawled as he took the final glass.

"Where the hell have you been?" Blaise hissed.

"It's called networking, I'll have you know!" He replied snarkily. "Some of us have to work for a living these days."

Blaise snorted dismissively, "Fuck your job right now, we have a larger problem at hand. Pansy doesn't remember Longbottom," He hissed as he looked around for eavesdroppers.

"Good, there may be hope for her yet. Nice to see she saw sense." Draco commented with a roll of his eyes.

"I don't mean selective memory, like that money you owe me from that new year's poker game two years ago that you conveniently have no recollection of. I mean as in obliviate-worthy, No recollection," Blaise urged. There must have been something in his gaze as Draco turned around, taking an interest in the conversation.

"At all?" He asked, raising an eyebrow. Blaise shook his head.

The edges of his vision faded as though wrapped in fluff, and he found his tongue felt fat and clumsy, but he focused on that to save him from thinking the unthinkable. If Pansy forgot all about him, where did that leave him? It had always been a probability that they would be separated. However, Neville had never really considered what that would mean for them. For him. He had always thought of it as some distant prospect. He hoped they would have time. To be torn apart from her with her, barely remembering his name seemed unbelievable cruel. He was almost tempted to ask Blaise of Draco to Obliviate him too so that they could both continue in dumb ignorance.

A chiming of a bell echoed from somewhere distant and the chatter around them faded. He turned around following everyone else's gaze as a tall, thin man stood above them on the stairs. He immediately knew that this must be Linden Parkinson as the resemblance between him and his daughter was incontestable. Their features were both pale and sculpted. Their midnight coloured hair gleaming almost blue in the light. Two pairs of pale eyes regarded them all coldly as he held his daughter's hand.

"Good evening, everyone. Thank you for gathering here tonight at our humble home to celebrate the turning of the year. As many of you know, we have held these gatherings since the first Parkynson built this home in the fourteenth century. We have always been a family who hold with tradition and our strong family values, unmoved by the fickle changes and fads within the community. Most of you will be aware that my daughter, Pansy, is now of age to continue the family line. Yes, yes. Some of you may have guessed the main objective for this evenings festivities. I would like to announce the engagement of my daughter to Graham Montegue." The rest of the speech was drowned out by a high pitch whistle squealing between Neville's ears as a brutish man, he vaguely remembered from school, climbed the stairs and gripping Pansy's waist. He watched as discomfort and fear flickered over her face before the pureblood mask was restored. A glass smashed drawing peoples eyes as the glass tinkled to the floor.

"Matteo! Your hand!" Blaise hissed, and Neville looked down at his hands confused as to why his right was covered in blood. There wasn't any pain, but the sight of it and the eyes from around the room on him made him feel suddenly hot and sick.

"I need some air," He muttered, turning towards the front door, not waiting to see if he was followed as he felt the fire burning to escape. The squeal had turned into a deafening roar as he lurched towards the waiting front door, as though he was wedged between the tide and jagged cliff rocks in the middle of a storm.

The shock of the December air to his skin struck him instantly, causing the ground to tilt and sway underfoot. Stumbling forward, the only things that seemed to stop him from planting himself face-first into the gravel were hands on his shoulders. He felt to his knees and vomited, the fire burning just as much coming up as it had going down. Tears flooded his eyes, blurring his vision further as voices murmured above him. He ignored them as he tried to breath past the heaving as his stomach realised it was empty. Eventually, the spasms stopped, but the sick sensation lingered having nothing to do with the alcohol.

"Come on, let's get you home," Came Blaise's voice from behind him. "You're grandmother is going to hex me for bringing you home in this state!" His hands grabbed at one of his arms, pulling him into a standing position.

"I'm going to come along to watch," Draco muttered pulling at his other arm.

"I can do it myself," Neville protested as he tried to pull free, but his limbs didn't seem to obey his commands any more.

"Shut up, Neville," Draco said as they apparated back to Longbottom house.


	95. From Nine To Ten

Dreams of lace and fire filled his mind like dancing dust motes in a shaft of sunlight, circling each other in a graceful ballet. Each bowed and moved too and frow until they spun together seamlessly, but the nature of fire was not to be denied, and the lace caught alight sending flares darting around him. Neville stood there as the flickers grew, surrounding him in their heat, stealing the air and filling his lungs with smoke.

Fighting to breathe and desperate, he searched for a way out between the columns of fire that surrounded him like prison bars. Someone called him. He could hear her in the distance, beckoning him, and he wanted nothing more than to escape his fiery incarceration, but the fire kept him pinned.

Pansy wasn't his any more, what would she care if he died in the inferno? Her mother's voice swirled around in his mind 'Change is coming' as cigarette smoke seemed to fill his nostrils. He began coughing as the foul stench seemed to coagulate in his lungs. Gasping and choking into consciousness, he sat bolt upright. Fear gripped his insides like a vice before his hangover slapped him in the face.

"Merlin," He muttered as his temperature plummeted. He knew he was going to be sick. He looked around and noticed that someone had left a bucket by his bedside. He grabbed it just in time as his head split open with each retch. When he thought that the worse of it was over, he lay back down, covering his head with his pillow to wallow in his pain and misery.

Memories and nightmares jumbled together until he was almost sure that the whole affair had been a terrible dream. Only the churning of his stomach and the throbbing of his head told him that something awful had actually happened. He took each breath with careful consideration. Holding his body as still as possible, he tried to not aggravate the pain.

There was a knock at the door which seemed to reverberate around his skull until he cried out.

"Neville?" His gran whispered as she entered the room. He wasn't sure he had ever heard her as gentle as she was right now. "Come on now, It's noon, and I need help." She croaked from his bedside. Groaning again he made no attempt to move as he pulled the pillow tighter over his head. "Come on, drink this, you'll feel better, one of your friends left it for you last night." She pressed something cold and smooth into his hand before patting him gently on the shoulder. "See you downstairs in a little while, my boy,"

He heard the door close softly behind her before the floorboards creaked down the hall. He gingerly moved the pillow off his face and blinked at the vial in his hand. The clear red liquid sloshed around, and he smiled slightly, knowing it had been Blaise who had considered his state this morning. He knocked back the Pepperup potion and grimaced as the steam built and spewed from his ears, and waited. Steadily, the pressure behind his eyeballs receded, and the churning of his stomach calmed. He sat up and took a deep breath, his body heavy with disappointment and misery as he caught a glimpse of his costume which hung from hangers on the nearby wardrobe.

Rubbing his face, he turned to get out of bed, his Mimbulus Mimbletonia whining at him.

"I know, I know. I'll get you moved into the greenhouse today. I've got to make room in there for you first." He muttered at the plant before reaching for his clothes. He paused for a moment as a wave of sadness washed over him. The silence in his room seemed to echo how alone he felt. The one person he had finally connected with and fallen for no longer remembered him or their time together. He squeezed his eyes together as he tried to hold the tears at bay. There was no point dwelling on it. There was nothing he could do about it. Pansy was no longer his, she was engaged to a caveman of a wizard who only wanted her for the money and status that came with the Slytherin union.

He stood up finally and started to pull his vest on, before sliding the flannel shirt over his arms, the soft, pliable material feeling comfortable and warm against his skin. He would need all the comfort he could get today. His mood was far from festive. He pulled up and fastened his trousers before slowly making his way to the door. The scent of sausages filled the air as he moved towards the bathroom. The aroma usually made his stomach growl hungrily, but this morning, it only churned his insides like butter.

Once his morning ablutions were done, he descended the stairs and into the kitchen where his gran looked up from the paper, flashing images of Pansy and Montegue looking up at her from their engagement announcement. Even upside down, he could tell that she was uncomfortable.

"Morning, my boy. How are you feeling?" she asked gently. Closing the paper quickly and shifting it to the side.

He waved, not wanting to talk, as he lowered himself into the chair. He knew that his gran wouldn't leave him alone, and he would need to speak at some point. Still, he was hoping that this one time, she would take the hint.

"Do you want breakfast?" She asked as she floated a cup of tea over to him. It landed in front of him with a satisfyingly heavy thump, and he shook his head. He was sure that if he ate anything, it would come right back up again. "It'll be alright in the end, you'll see. These things have a way of working out. Don't give up hope," She reached out and pat his clenched fist, giving it a comforting squeeze. He nodded, non-committally as he took hold of the mug of tea. "Now, today, the greenhouse needs sorting so that the Mimbletonia can fit in there and then you've got to move that blasted thing out of your room, change your sheets, I'll need help with the food. The sausage rolls, stuffing, and Yorkshires can be cooked ahead, ready for the dinner. We've got nine coming so we need to make enough.

There was a noise at the door as an unfamiliar tawny owl stood, glaring in with its solid black eyes. It knocked at the glass with its beak impatiently drawing both their eyes. His gran slowly got up to pull open the dutch door then stood back as the bird flew in, landing on the work surface. Ruffling its feathers, it looked around, darting glances between Neville and his gran as she leant forward for the message. It went to peck her, but she taped it with her wand.

"Don't even think about it, Bird! Or I'll turn you into a feather duster!" she warned. It blinked at her for a long moment before it seemed to reconsider. It offered its leg, and she took the scroll rolled in the harness on its foot before giving it some treats to munch on. The cold air rushed into the small kitchen where the door had been left open, but she didn't seem to notice.

Her old eyes scanned the missive before looking at him for a moment, he could see the cogs whirring in her mind as she opened her mouth to speak. "Make that ten for dinner, Uncle Ptolomy will be coming too, now that Issy's passed." She said distantly before tapping the letter against her lips. "So much to do. Drink your tea, and we'll crack on," She said with a nod as she patted his shoulder before leaving the kitchen, sliding the note into her pocket as she left.

Neville frowned as he was left, staring at the owl, who glared back. It seemed to huff at him before flying back out the open door. He stood and moved to close it as he shivered against the cold air. Ten for dinner? That had to be some sort of a record. He knew who most of them would be but wondered who three places would be filled with. His uncle Algie and aunt Enid were definitely coming, as was his aunt Ursuline with her brother Humphrey. Now his gran's nephew Ptolomy was coming, who were the other three? His aunt Josephina and uncle Randolph maybe? Or maybe, Florence and Alfred? And possibly one of their children? He didn't know, but his gran was right, there was so much to do.

He slumped back into his chair and rested his head on the table, unable to find the motivation to do any of it. He thought of the curves of her hips and how wonderful she smelled as he held her close. The soul-deep contentment he felt as she slept in his arms and the giddy feeling when she laughed at his jokes suddenly stabbed at him as tears gathered in his eyes. He missed her like he missed his parents, there but just out of reach. He pulled the paper around so that he could see the article. He found it with no trouble and watched as her smiling-but-bored face looked out of the newspaper. Her eyes looked slightly red, and he wondered if she had been crying. Touching the paper at her cheek, he prayed to every power and divine being that they could be reunited but knew not to hold his breath. He tore her from the page, parting her from her intended so that at least in his world, she was free of him. Regardless of how much it hurt, he couldn't bear not to. Just to see her would ease something inside of his heart so that he knew that she wasn't gone forever.

"Neville?" His gran called, and he knew he had to get moving, moping would have to wait until after Christmas when the family was gone, and it was only he and his gran again. He dreaded the thought of going back to Hogwarts, knowing that she wouldn't be there with him. He gripped the mug also and knocked the liquid back before standing. He would start in the greenhouse. If he could get rid of the Mimbletonia from his room, it would give him more room to change the sheets.

He had to sit down for a moment, using the makeshift chair he had transfigured from the Saga newspaper as he waited for the dizziness to clear. It had taken him an hour, but he had finally managed to make space in the greenhouse for the Mimbletonia. He had also managed to get the plant out of his room and down the stairs without covering the house in stink sap. It really was an achievement on his part. However, in his attempt to get it manoeuvred into the corner of the greenhouse, he accidentally sent a handful of Puffapod beans scuttling along the floor, which, upon impact exploded into bloom, sending their spores into the air, making the room spin.

They were harmless luckily, only causing dizziness and nothing more. However, Neville still pinched his eyes closed as he waited for the room to stop spinning.

"Oh, that looks better there! Seems to be perking up already too, looked a bit droopy in your room with you away at school," His uncle announced from the door, a gust of the chilled air clearing the spores and his dizziness. "Are you alright?" Algie asked as he got closer.

"Puffapods," Neville mumbled.

"Ah, they're not the best plant to deal with after a heavy night. I sympathise. Gussie said you needed a brew and a good talking to,"

Neville groaned and shook his head. "I'll take the tea, but can we skip the talk?"

"Sounds like a plan, I wasn't very good at talking to girls myself, so I'd be hopeless giving you advice."

Neville nodded and then closed his eyes again as another wave of dizziness and nausea swept over him. The Pepperup potion didn't seem to be helping him as much as it had at the Halloween party. He wondered whether it was because Pansy hadn't been there to force him to drink water or whether it was for some other unseen reason. Either way, his stomach still churned like a barrel of eels. "So, You had a heavy night last night I hear? Who knew that Pepperup could help with hangovers, I'll certainly store that information away for new years eve," He smiled.

Neville nodded again, still not wanting to talk more than he needed to. When he felt up to it, he finally stood and opened his eyes. He looked at his uncle and took the offered mug, with a nod of thanks. "Are you all right?" He asked gently, placing a hand on his shoulder as he sipped the steaming mug. Neville sighed and went to answer when his voice broke. It was as though just that single kind gesture knocked all his defences down as he swallowed. He couldn't talk as his breath was stolen from him.

His heart started to thud as if trying to escape out of his chest as he tried to swallow. He reached out for the armchair and fell back into it. The mug in his hand was pulled away as he struggled with his breathing. He pulled at his hair, knotting his fingers into the strands as he faced the floor between his knees. He squeezed his eyes closed as he tried to centre himself. He took several breaths, but they caught in his throat. He felt like he was about to pass out as the world around him seemed to narrow down. Even the darkness behind his eyes seemed to get darker. His heart thundered in his ears as he tried to breathe. Maybe he would die, his heart giving out. A sob fought it's way out between gasps as his misery drowned him. He pinched the tears from his eyes as he started to panic about dying and never seeing Pansy again. He felt hands on his shoulders as a voice tried to break through the darkness. He couldn't seem to get enough air as his heart stuttered.

"Nev, my lad," He blinked open and found his uncle crouched before him. He closed his eyes again. "You're alright, you're alright," his uncle whispered as he squeezed his shoulders. Neville hiccupped as another sob caught on the way down. He wasn't alright, he was about to die. His heart was about to give out. How could his uncle know that he was okay? Any minute now, his heart was going to break.

Neville felt the sweat run down his back as another sob forced it's way out. His breath came out in a rush and caught as a breath tried to rush back in almost immediately. He coughed as his heart palpitated inside his ribs.

"Shush, That's it, lad. Let it all out," His uncle soothed as Neville tried to forget his exploding heart and aching pain within it as the tears drenched his face. He was never going to see her again. His world was crashing around him, and there seemed to be nothing that could anchor him.

After what felt like an eternity, the sobs seemed to subside. "That's it, It'll be alright," With each intake of breath, his racing heartbeat slowed, and he was able to breathe deeper. He released his fingers from his head and stretched them out, the numbness receding with each bend of his fingers.

"There, you back in the room?" His uncle asked with a weak smile. He nodded as Algie handed him his handkerchief.

"Thanks," He muttered as he wiped at his eyes.

"So, do you want to talk about it now you've got that out your system?" Algie asked as he perched on the side of the Alocasia pot.

Neville took a deep breath as he nodded, plunging into the story of the night before, leaving out no detail as he poured his heart out, his eyes still weeping at the rawness of it all.


End file.
